LIBEAKT 
Theological  Semi-nary'. 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

Case     ■    D,  „  ,  X)TZ.U. 

Book  | 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/ismailianarrativOObake_0 


ISMAILIA. 


ISMAILlA: 


A  NARRATIVE  OF  THE 

EXPEDITION  TO  CENTRAL  AFRICA  FOR  THE 
SUPPRESSION  OF  THE  SLAVE  TRADE. 


ISMAIL,  KHEDIVE  OF  EGYPT. 
SIR  SAMUEL  W.  BAKER,  PASHA,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.G.S., 


!>fajor-General  of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  Member  of  the  Orders  of  tJie  Osmauie  and  tlie  Medjidie, 
late  Governor-General  of  the  Equatorial  Nile  Basin,  Gold  Medallist  of  the  Royal  Geograph- 
ical Society,  Grande  Medaille  d'Or  de  la  Societe  de  Geographie  de  Paris,  Honorary 
Member  of  the  Geographical  Societies  of  Paris,  Berlin,  and  New  York,  A  uthor 
of  "  The  Albert  N'yanza  Great  Basin  of  the  Nile"  "  The  Nile  Trib- 
utaries of  Abyssinia"  M  Cmt  up  by  the  Sea,"  &*c,  &c. 


ORGANIZED  BY 


WITH  MAPS,  PORTRAITS,  AND  UPWARD  OF  FIFTY  FULL- PAGE 
ILLUSTRATIONS  BY  ZWECKER  AND  DURAND 


NEW  YORK: 


HARPER   &    BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS, 


FRANKLIN  SQUARE. 


1  8  75. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  Page 
INTRODUCTORY   17 

CHAPTER  II. 

ENGLISH  PARTY   22 

CHAPTER  III. 

THE  RETREAT   49 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  CAMP  AT  TEWFIKEEYAII   65 

CHAPTER  V. 

EXPLORATION  OF  THE  OLD  WHITE  NILE   84 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  START   99 

CHAPTER  VII. 

ARRIVAL  AT  GONDOKORO   124 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

OFFICIAL  ANNEXATION   138 

CHAPTER  IX. 

NEW  ENEMIES   159 

CHAPTER  X. 

DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  SHIR  DETACHMENT   171 

CHAPTER  XI. 

SPIRIT  OF  DISAFFECTION   190 


12  CONTEXTS. 


CHAPTER  XII.  Page 
VESSELS  RETURN  TO  KHARTOUM  ,   212 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

MORAL  RESULTS  OF  THE  HUNT   221 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  ADVANCE  SOUTH   237 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  ADVANCE  TO  LOBORE   252 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

ARRIVAL  AT  FATIKO   277 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  MARCH  TO  UNYORO   300 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

MARCH  TO  MASIXDI   323 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

RESTORATION  OF  THE  LIBERATED  SLAVES   339 

CHAPTER  XX. 

ESTABLISH  COMMERCE   360 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

TREACHERY   377 

CHAPTER  XXH. 

THE  MARCH  TO  RIONGA   398 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

BUILD  A  STOCKADE  AT  FOWEERA   41C 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

NO  MEDICAL  MEN   435 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

I  SEND  TO  GONDOKORO  FOR  RE-ENFORCEMEXTS   450 


COXTEXTS.  13 

CHAPTER  XXVI.  Page 
ARRIVAL  OF  M'TESE'S  ENVOYS   466 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

CONCLUSION   485 

APPENDIX   493 

INDEX   529 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Faces 

portrait  of  sir  samuel  baker  From  steel  plate. 

GENERAL  NIGHT  ATTACK  ON  THE  STATION  AT  GONDOKORO. . .Frontispiece. 

HIPPOPOTAMUS  ATTACKING  THE  DINGY   " 

MAP  OF  ROUTE  

LIEUTENANT  JULIAN  ALLEYN  BAKER,  R.N  

MR.  EDWIN  HIGGINBOTHAM  

COLONEL  ABD-EL-KADER  

THE  CAMEL  TRANSPORT  OF  STEAMERS  AND  MACHINERY  

"  THE  FORTY  THIEVES,"  COMMANDED  BY  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  ABD-EL- 
KADER   

DEPARTURE  FROM  KHARTOUM  

CROCODILE  MOBBED  IN  THE  SUDD  

THE  "DAMALIS  SENEGALENSIS  " — STALKING  THE  SENTRY  

HAULING  THE  NO.  10  STEAMER  THROUGH  THE   CANALS  IN  THE  MIDST 

OF  THE  VEGETABLE  OBSTRUCTIONS  

HIPPOPOTAMUS  KILLS  THE  BLIND  SHEIK  IN  THE  SHILLOOK  COUNTRY  .... 

LIBERATION  OF  SLAVES  AFTER  THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  SLAVE-BOATS  

ARRIVAL  AT  THE  STOPPAGE — THE  "  BALEN1CEPS  REX"  

A  HIPPOPOTAMUS  ATTACKS  THE  BOATS  DURING  THE  NIGHT  

FlG.  1. — ARROW-HEADS  OF  THE  BARI  TRIBE  

"    2. — ELEPHANT-SPEARS  OF  THE  UNYORO  AND  UMIRO  

"    3. — UNYORO  KNIFE  

"  4. — SHARP-POINTED  CLUB  OF  IRON- WOOD,  USED  BY  THE  SHIR  TRIBE 
FlG.  1. — PACKET  OF  PLAITED  ROPE  OF  UGANDA  

"    2. — SANDAL  OF  RAWHIDE,  AS  MADE  IN  UNYORO  

"    3. — SKULL  OF  THE  u  BALENICEPS  REX  n  

"    4. — THE  IRON  MOLOTE,  OR  SPADE,  OF  THE  BARI  AND  MADI  TRIBES 

"    5. — PIPE-BOWL  OF  THE  BARI  TRIBE  

OFFICIAL  ANNEXATION  OF  GONDOKORO — SALUTING  THE  FLAG  

THE  BELINIAN  BARIS  ATTACK  AND  DRIVE  OFF  THE  CATTLE  

LANDING  A  CROCODILE  AT  GONDOKORO  

ASSAULT  UPON  THE  STOCKADES  AT  BELINIAN  

ELEPHANTS  IN  A  DIFFICULTY  

A  BULL-ELEPHANT  SHAKES  DOWN  THE  FRUIT   


16  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Faces  page 

MAP  OF  ALBERT  N'YANZA   237 

PECULIAR  TABLE-ROCK  AT  REGIAF   244 

AMARN   258 

ON  THE  MARCH  THROUGH  THE  BARI  COUNTRY — ENTERING  MOOGE   260 

NIGHT  ATTACK  UPON  ABDULLAH'S   DETACHMENT;   THE  BARIS  CAPTURE 

THE  GUN   265 

VIEW  OF  THE  NAVIGABLE  NILE  ABOVE  THE  LAST  CATARACTS  AT  AFUDDO  272 

MARCHING  TOWARD  FATIKO   277 

MUSICAL  ENTHUSIASTS — THE  WOMEN  FLOCK  TO  THE  BAND   282 

RECEPTION  OF  THE  CHIEF  OF  FAIEERA — ROT  JARMA   298 

BOTTLE-GOURD  OF  UNYORO    308 

KABBA  REGA  AND  HIS  GREAT  CHIEFS  RETURNING  A  VISIT   327 

SUDDEN  HOSTILE  DEMONSTRATION — THE  TROOPS  FORM  A  SQUARE   368 

PLAN  OF  SMALL  CIRCULAR  FORT  AT  MASINDI,  AND  SECTION  OF  STOCKADE  374 

BATTLE  OF  MASINDI — REPULSE  AND  DEFEAT  OF  KABBA  REGA'S  FORCES  383 

NATIVES  SET  FIRE  TO  THE  SOLDIERS'  CAMP  AT  NIGHT   394 

ATTACK  ON  THE  REAR -GUARD  BY  AMBUSCADE — DEATH  OF  A  BRAVE 

SOLDIER   406 

THE  VICTORIA  NILE — AT  RIONGA'S  ISLAND   420 

RECEPTION  OF  RIONGA   421 

THE   SLAVE -HUNTERS'  ATTACK    AT  FATIKO  THE    ADVANCE    OF  "THE 

FORTY  THIEVES"   432 

DESTRUCTION  OF  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  TAYIB  AGHA'S  DETACHMENT  AT 

MOOGE   439 

FORT  FATIKO   452 

FORT  FATIKO — GROUND-PLAN   453 

VIEW  FROM  THE  ROCK  FORT  OF  FATIKO   454 

NET-HUNTING  IN  THE  SHOOLI  TRIBE   457 

DRIVING  THE  PRAIRIE  WITH  FIRE   459 

CHARGE  OF  A  LIONESS   463 

AFFECTIONATE  RESULTS  OF  A  SUDDEN  FEMALE  EMANCIPATION   472 

THE  NEW  STEAMER,  "  THE  KHEDIVE  "   473 

SACRED  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  EDWIN  HIGGINBOTHAM   475 

GONDOKORO,  OR  ISMAILIA   477 


New  York  Harper  fe  Brothers, 


ISMAILIA 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

In  the  present  work  I  shall  describe  the  history  of  the  Khe- 
dive of  Egypt's  expedition,  which  I  have  had  the  honor  to  com- 
mand, as  the  first  practical  step  that  has  been  taken  to  suppress 
the  slave-trade  of  Central  Africa. 

I  shall  not  repeat,  beyond  what  may  be  absolutely  necessary, 
that  which  has  already  been  published  in  my  former  works  on 
Africa,  "The  Albert  N'yanza"  and  "The  Nile  Tributaries  of 
Abyssinia,"  but  I  shall  adhere  to  the  simple  path  taken  by  the 
expedition.  This  enterprise  is  the  practical  result  of  my  original 
explorations,  in  which  I  had  been  an  eye-witness  to  the  horrors 
of  the  slave-trade,  which  I  determined,  if  possible,  to  suppress. 

In  my  former  journey  I  had  traversed  countries  of  extreme 
fertility  in  Central  Africa,  with  a  healthy  climate  favorable  for 
the  settlement  of  Europeans,  at  a  mean  altitude  of  four  thou- 
sand feet  above  the  sea -level.  This  large  and  almost  bound- 
less extent  of  country  was  well  peopled  by  a  race  who  only  re- 
quired the  protection  of  a  strong  but  paternal  government  to  be- 
come of  considerable  importance,  and  to  eventually  develop  the 
great  resources  of  the  soil. 

I  found  lands  varying  in  natural  capabilities  according  to  their 
position  and  altitudes  —  where  sugar,  cotton,  coffee,  rice,  spices, 
and  all  tropical  produce  might  be  successfully  cultivated;  but 
those  lands  were  without  any  civilized  form  of  government,  and 
"  every  man  did  what  seemed  right  in  his  own  eyes." 

In  this  dislocated  state  of  society,  the  slave-trade  prospered 
to  the  detriment  of  all  improvement.  Rich  and  well-populated 
countries  were  rendered  desolate;  the  women  and  children  were 
carried  into  captivity ;  villages  were  burned,  and  crops  were  de- 
stroyed or  pillaged;  the  population  was  driven  out;  a  terrestrial 
paradise  was  converted  into  an  infernal  region ;  the  natives,  who 

2 


Id 


ISMAILlA. 


were  originally  friendly,  were  rendered  hostile  to  all  strangers, 
and  the  general  result  of  the  slave-trade  could  only  be  expressed 
in  one  word — "  ruin." 

The  slave  hunters  and  traders  who  had  caused  this  desolation 
were  for  the  most  part  Arabs,  subjects  of  the  Egyptian  govern- 
ment. 

These  people  had  deserted  their  agricultural  occupations  in  the 
Soudan,  and  had  formed  companies  of  brigands  in  the  pay  of 
various  merchants  of  Khartoum.  The  largest  trader  had  two 
thousand  five  hundred  Arabs  in  his  pay,  employed  as  pirates  or 
brigands,  in  Central  Africa.  These  men  were  organized  after 
a  rude  military  fashion,  and  armed  with  muskets ;  they  were  di- 
vided into  companies,  and  were  officered  in  many  cases  by  soldiers 
who  had  deserted  from  their  regiments  in  Egypt  or  the  Soudan. 

It  is  supposed  that  about  fifteen  thousand  of  the  Khedive's 
subjects  who  should  have  been  industriously  working  and  paying 
their  taxes  in  Egypt  were  engaged  in  the  so-called  ivory  trade 
and  slave-hunting  of  the  White  Nile. 

Each  trader  occupied  a  special  district,  where,  by  a  division  of 
his  forces  in  a  chain  of  stations,  each  of  which  represented  about 
three  hundred  men,  he  could  exercise  a  right  of  possession  over 
a  certain  amount  of  assumed  territory. 

In  this  manner  enormous  tracts  of  country  were  occupied  by 
the  armed  bands  from  Khartoum,  who  could  make  alliances  with 
the  native  tribes  to  attack  and  destroy  their  neighbors,  and  to 
carry  off  their  women  and  children,  together  with  vast  herds  of 
sheep  and  cattle. 

I  have  already  fully  described  this  system  in  "The  Albert 
N'yanza,"  therefore  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  enter  into  minute 
details  in  the  present  work.  It  will  be  sufficient,  to  convey  an 
idea  of  the  extended  scale  of  the  slave-hunting  operations,  to  ex- 
plain that  an  individual  trader  named  Agad  assumed  the  right 
over  nearly  ninety  thousand  square  miles  of  territory.  Thus  his 
companies  of  brigands  could  pillage  at  discretion,  massacre,  take, 
burn,  or  destroy  throughout  this  enormous  area,  or  even  beyond 
this  broad  limit,  if  they  had  the  power. 

It  is  impossible  to  know  the  actual  number  of  slaves  taken 
from  Central  Africa  annually ;  but  I  should  imagine  that  at  least 
fifty  thousand  are  positively  either  captured  and  held  in  the  va- 
rious zaribas  (or  camps)  or  are  sent  via  the  White  Nile  and  the 
various  routes  overland  by  Darfur  and  Kordofan.  The  loss  of 
life  attendant  upon  the  capture  and  subsequent  treatment  of  the 
slaves  is  frightful.    The  result  of  this  forced  emigration,  com- 


THE  KHEDIVE'S  FIB  MAX. 


19 


bined  with  the  insecurity  of  life  and  property,  is  the  withdrawal 
of  the  population  from  the  infested  districts.  The  natives  have 
the  option  of  submission  to  every  insult,  to  the  violation  of  their 
women  and  the  pillage  of  their  crops,  or  they  must  either  desert 
their  homes  and  seek  independence  in  distant  districts,  or  they 
must  ally  themselves  with  their  oppressors  to  assist  in  the  op- 
pression of  other  tribes.  Thus  the  seeds  of  anarchy  are  sown 
throughout  Africa,  which  fall  among  tribes  naturally  prone  to 
anarchy.  The  result  is  horrible  confusion — distrust  on  all  sides 
— treachery,  devastation,  and  ruin. 

This  was  the  state  of  Central  Africa  and  the  White  Nile  when 
I  was  first  honored  with  the  notice  of  Ismail  Pasha,  the  present 
Khedive  of  Egypt. 

I  had  received  certain  intimations  from  the  foreign  minister, 
Nubar  Pasha,  concerning  the  Khedive's  intentions,  a  short  time 
previous  to  an  invitation  with  which  I  was  honored  by  his  royal 
highness  the  Prince  of  Wales  to  accompany  their  royal  high- 
nesses the  prince  and  princess  during  their  tour  in  Egypt. 

It  is  almost  needless  to  add  that,  upon  arrival  in  Egypt,  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  who  represented  at  heart  the  principles  of  Great 
Britain,  took  the  warmest  interest  in  the  suppression  of  the  slave- 
trade. 

The  Khedive,  thus  supported  and  encouraged  in  his  ideas  of 
reform,  concluded  his  arrangements  for  the  total  abolition  of  the 
slave-trade,  not  only  throughout  his  dominions,  but  he  deter- 
mined to  attack  that  moral  cancer  by  actual  cautery  at  the  very 
root  of  the  evil. 

I  was  accordingly  requested  to  draw  up  a  plan  for  the  pro- 
posed expedition  to  Central  Africa. 

After  some  slight  modifications,  I  received  from  the  Khedive 
the  following  firman : 

"We,  Ismail,  Khedive  of  Egypt,  considering  the  savage  condi- 
tion of  the  tribes  which  inhabit  the  Nile  Basin ; 

"Considering  that  neither  government,  nor  laws,  nor  security 
exists  in  those  countries ; 

"Considering  that  humanity  enforces  the  suppression  of  the 
slave-hunters  who  occupy  those  countries  in  great  numbers; 

"Considering  that  the  establishment  of  legitimate  commerce 
throughout  those  countries  will  be  a  great  stride  toward  future 
civilization,  and  will  result  in  the  opening  to  steam  navigation  of 
the  great  equatorial  lakes  of  Central  Africa,  and  in  the  establish- 
ing a  permanent  government  ...  we  have  decreed,  and  now  de- 
cree, as  follows : 


20 


ISMAILlA. 


"An  expedition  is  organized  to  subdue  to  our  authority  the 
countries  situated  to  the  south  of  Gondokoro; 

"  To  suppress  the  slave-trade ;  to  introduce  a  system  of  regular 
commerce ; 

"  To  open  to  navigation  the  great  lakes  of  the  equator; 

"And  to  establish  a  chain  of  military  stations  and  commercial 
depots,  distant  at  intervals  of  three  days'  march,  throughout  Cen- 
tral Africa,  accepting  Gondokoro  as  the  base  of  operations. 

"The  supreme  command  of  this  expedition  is  confided  to  Sir 
Samuel  White  Baker  for  four  years,  commencing  from  April  1st, 
1869 ;  to  whom  also  we  confer  the  most  absolute  and  supreme 
power,  even  that  of  death,  over  all  those  who  may  compose  the 
expedition. 

"  We  confer  upon  him  the  same  absolute  and  supreme  author- 
ity over  all  those  countries  belonging  to  the  Nile  Basin  south  of 
Gondokoro." 

It  was  thus  that  the  Khedive  determined,  at  the  risk  of  his 
popularity  among  his  own  subjects,  to  strike  a  direct  blow  at  the 
slave-trade  in  its  distant  nest.  To  insure  the  fulfillment  of  this 
difficult  enterprise,  he  selected  an  Englishman,  armed  with  a  des- 
potic power  such  as  had  never  been  intrusted  by  a  Mohammedan 
to  a  Christian. 

The  slave-trade  was  to  be  suppressed ;  legitimate  commerce 
was  to  be  introduced,  and  protection  was  to  be  afforded  to  the 
natives  by  the  establishment  of  a  government. 

The  suppression  of  the  slave-trade  was  a  compliment  to  the 
European  Powers  which  would  denote  the  superiority  of  Egypt, 
and  would  lay  the  first  stone  in  the  foundation  of  a  new  civiliza- 
tion ;  and  a  population  that  was  rapidly  disappearing  would  be 
saved  to  Africa. 

To  effect  this  grand  reform  it  would  be  necessary  to  annex  the 
Nile  Basin,  and  to  establish  a  government  in  countries  that  had 
been  hitherto  without  protection,  and  a  prey  to  the  adventurers 
from  the  Soudan.  To  convey  steel  steamers  from  England,  and 
to  launch  them  upon  the  Albert  Lake,  and  thus  open  the  re- 
sources of  Central  Africa;  to  establish  legitimate  trade  in  a  vast 
country  which  had  hitherto  been  a  field  of  rapine  and  of  murder; 
to  protect  the  weak  and  to  punish  the  evil-doer,  and  to  open  the 
road  to  a  great  future,  where  the  past  had  been  all  darkness  and 
the  present  reckless  spoliation — this  was  the  grand  object  which 
Ismail,  the  Khedive  of  Egypt,  determined  to  accomplish. 

In  this  humane  enterprise  he  was  firmly  supported  by  his  two 
ministers,  Nubar  Pasha  and  Cheriff  Pasha  (an  Armenian  and  a 


MEASURES  OF  TEE  KHEDIVE. 


21 


Circassian).  The  young  princes  his  sons,  who  are  well-educated 
and  enlightened  men,  took  the  greatest  interest  in  the  undertak- 
ing; but  beyond  these  and  a  few  others,  the  object  of  the  expedi- 
tion was  regarded  with  ill-concealed  disgust. 

Having  received  full  powers  from  the  Khedive,  I  gave  orders 
for  the  following  vessels  to  be  built  of  steel  by  Messrs.  Samuda 
Brothers : 

No.  1.  A  paddle  steamer  of  251  tons,  thirty-two  horse-power. 

No.  2.  A  twin  screw  high-pressure  steamer  of  twenty  horse-power,  108  tons. 

No.  3.  A  twin  screw  high-pressure  of  ten  horse-power,  38  tons. 

Nos.  4,  5.  Two  steel  life-boats,  each  30  feet  by  9  =  10  tons  each. 

These  vessels  were  fitted  with  engines  of  the  best  construction 
by  Messrs.  Penn  &  Co.,  and  were  to  be  carried  across  the  Nubian 
desert  in  plates  and  sections. 

In  addition  to  the  steamers  were  steam  saw-mills,  with  a  boiler 
that  weighed  eight  hundred- weight  in  one  piece — all  of  which 
would  have  to  be  transported  by  camels  for  several  hundred 
miles  across  the  Nubian  desert,  and  by  boats  and  camels  alter- 
nately from  Alexandria  to  Gondokoro,  a  distance  of  about  three 
thousand  miles. 

In  the  description  of  this  enterprise,  which  terminated  in  the 
suppression  of  the  slave-trade  of  the  White  Nile  and  the  annexa- 
tion to  a  large  equatorial  territory  to  Egypt,  I  shall  be  compelled 
to  expose  many  abuses  which  were  the  result  of  misgoverhment 
in  the  distant  provinces  of  Upper  Egypt.  It  must  be  distinctly 
understood  that  his  highness  the  Khedive  was  ignorant  of  such 
abuses,  and  that  he  took  prompt  and  vigorous  measures  to  reform 
the  administration  of  the  Soudan  immediately  upon  receiving 
information  of  the  misgovernment  of  that  extensive  terrritory. 
Throughout  the  expedition  his  highness  has  exhibited  a  deter- 
mination to  succeed  in  the  suppression  of  the  slave-trade  in  spite 
of  the  adverse  opinion  of  the  public — therefore,  when  I  expose  the 
abuses  that  existed,  it  must  be  accepted  without  hesitation  that  the 
Khedive  would  have  been  the  foremost  in  punishing  the  authors 
and  in  rectifying  such  abuses  had  he  been  aware  of  their  existence. 

As  a  duty  to  the  Khedive,  and  in  justice  to  myself,  I  shall  de- 
scribe the  principal  incidents  as  they  occurred  throughout  the 
expedition.  The  civilized  world  will  form  both  judge  and  jury: 
if  their  verdict  be  favorable,  I  shall  have  my  reward.  I  can  only 
assure  my  fellow-men  that  I  have  sought  earnestly  the  guidance 
of  the  Almighty  in  the  use  of  the  great  power  committed  to  me, 
and  I  trust  that  I  have  been  permitted  to  lay  a  firm  foundation 
for  a  good  work  hereafter. 


22 


ISALAILlA. 


CHAPTEK  II. 

ENGLISH  PARTY. 

The  success  of  an  expedition  depends  mainly  upon  organiza- 
tion. From  my  former  experience  in  Central  Africa,  I  knew 
exactly  the  requirements  of  the  natives,  and  all  the  material  that 
would  be  necessary  for  the  enterprise.  I  also  knew  that  the  old 
adage  of  "Out  of  sight  out  of  mind"  might  be  adopted  as  the 
Egyptian  motto,  therefore  it  would  be  indispensable  to  supply 
myself  with  every  thing  at  the  outset,  so  as  to  be  independent 
of  support  hereafter. 

The  English  party  consisted  of  myself  and  Lad}7  Baker ;  Lieu- 
tenant Julian  Alleyne  Baker,  K.  N. ;  Mr.  Edwin  Higginbotham, 
civil  engineer ;  Mr.  Wood,  secretary ;  Dr.  Joseph  Gedge,  physi- 
cian ;  Mr.  Marcopolo,  chief  store  -  keeper  and  interpreter ;  Mr. 
Mc William,  chief  engineer  of  steamers;  Mr.  Jarvis,  chief  ship- 
wright; together  with  Messrs.  Whitfield,  Samson,  Hitchman,  and 
Eamsall,  shipwrights,  boiler-makers,  etc.  In  addition  to  the  above 
were  two  servants. 

I  laid  in  stores  sufficient  to  last  the  European  party  four  years. 

I  provided  four  galvanized  iron  magazines,  each  eighty  feet 
long  by  twenty  in  width,  to  protect  all  material. 

Before  I  left  England  I  personally  selected  every  article  that 
was  necessary  for  the  expedition ;  thus  an  expenditure  of  about 
nine  thousand  pounds  was  sufficient  for  the  purchase  of  the  al- 
most innumerable  items  that  formed  the  outfit  for  the  enterprise. 
This  included  an  admirable  selection  of  Manchester  goods,  such 
as  cotton  sheeting,  gray  calico,  cotton,  and  also  woolen  blankets, 
white,  scarlet,  and  blue;  Indian  scarfs,  red  and  yellow;  handker- 
chiefs of  gaudy  colors,  chintz  printed  ;  scarlet  flannel  shirts,  serge 
of  colors  (blue,  red),  linen  trowsers,  etc.,  etc. 

Tools  of  all  sorts — axes,  small  hatchets,  harness  bells,  brass 
rods,  copper  rods,  combs,  zinc  mirrors,  knives,  crockery,  tin  plates, 
fish-hooks,  musical-boxes,  colored  prints,  finger-rings,  razors,  tin- 
ned spoons,  cheap  watches,  etc.,  etc. 

All  these  things  were  purchased  through  Messrs.  Silber  and 
Fleming,  of  Wood  Street,  Cheapside. 

I  thus  had  sufficient  clothing  for  a  considerable  body  of  troops 


AEBAXGEMENTS. 


23 


if  necessary,  while  the  magazines  could  produce  any  thing  from 
a  needle  to  a  crow-bar,  or  from  a  handkerchief  to  a  boat's  sail. 
It  will  be  seen  hereafter  that  these  careful  arrangements  assured 
the  success  of  the  expedition,  as  the  troops,  when  left  without 
pay,  could  procure  all  they  required  from  the  apparently  inex- 
haustible stores  of  the  magazines. 

In  addition  to  the  merchandise  and  general  supplies,  I  had 
several  large  musical-boxes  with  bells  and  drums,  an  excellent 
magic  lantern,  a  magnetic  battery,  wheels  of  life,  and  an  assort- 
ment of  toys.  The  greatest  wonder  to  the  natives  were  two  large 
girandoles;  also  the  silvered  balls,  about  six  inches  in  diame- 
ter, that,  suspended  from  the  branch  of  a  tree,  reflected  the  scene 
beneath. 

In  every  expedition  the  principal  difficulty  is  the  transport. 

"Travel  light,  if  possible,"  is  the  best  advice  for  all  countries; 
but  in  this  instance  it  was  simply  impossible,  as  the  object  of  the 
expedition  was  not  only  to  convey  steamers  to  Central  Africa, 
but  to  establish  legitimate  trade  in  the  place  of  the  nefarious 
system  of  pillage  hitherto  adopted  by  the  so-called  White  Nile 
traders.  It  was  therefore  absolutely  necessary  to  possess  a  large 
stock  of  goods  of  all  kinds,  in  addition  to  the  machinery  and  steel 
sections  of  steamers. 

I  arranged  that  the  expedition  should  start  in  three  divisions. 

Six  steamers,  varying  from  forty  to  eighty  horse-power,  were 
ordered  to  leave  Cairo  in  June,  together  with  fifteen  sloops  and 
fifteen  diahbeeahs — total,  thirty-six  vessels — to  ascend  the  cata- 
racts of  the  Nile  to  Khartoum,  a  distance  by  river  of  about  one 
thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  These  vessels  were  to 
convey  the  whole  of  the  merchandise. 

Twenty-five  vessels  were  ordered  to  be  in  readiness  at  Khar- 
toum, together  with  three  steamers.  The  governor-general  (Djiaf- 
fer  Pasha)  was  to  provide  these  vessels  by  a  certain  date,  togeth- 
er with  the  camels  and  horses  necessary  for  the  land  transport. 

Thus,  when  the  fleet  should  arrive  at  Khartoum  from  Cairo, 
the  total  force  of  vessels  would  be  nine  steamers  and  fifty-five 
sailing  vessels,  the  latter  averaging  about  fifty  tons  each. 

Mr.  Higginbotham  had  the  command  of  the  desert  transport 
from  Korosko  to  Khartoum,  and  to  that  admirable  officer  I  in- 
trusted the  charge  of  the  steamer  sections  and  machinery,  togeth- 
er with  the  command  of  the  English  engineers  and  mechanics. 

I  arranged  to  bring  up  the  rear  by  another  route,  via  Souakim, 
on  the  Red  Sea,  from  which  the  desert  journey  to  Berber,  on  the 
Nile,  N.  lat.  17°  37',  is  275  statute  miles. 


24 


ISMAILIA. 


My  reason  for  this  division  of  routes  was  to  insure  a  quick 
supply  of  camels,  as  much  delay  would  have  been  occasioned  had 
the  great  mass  of  transport  been  conveyed  by  one  road. 

The  military  arrangements  comprised  a  force  of  one  thousand 
six  hundred  and  forty-five  troops,  including  a  corps  of  two  hun- 
dred irregular  cavalry,  and  two  batteries  of  artillery.  The  infant- 
ry were  two  regiments,  supposed  to  be  well  selected.  The  black, 
or  Soudani,  regiment  included  many  officers  and  men  who  had 
served  for  some  years  in  Mexico  with  the  French  army  under 
Marshal  Bazaine.  The  Egyptian  regiment  turned  out  to  be  for 
the  most  part  convicted  felons  who  had  been  transported  for  va- 
rious crimes  from  Egypt  to  the  Soudan. 

The  artillery  were  rifled  mountain  guns  of  bronze,  the  barrel 
weighing  two  hundred  and  thirty  pounds,  and  throwing  shells  of 
eight  and  a  quarter  pounds.  The  authorities  at  Woolwich  had 
kindly  supplied  the  expedition  with  two  hundred  Hale's  rockets 
— three-pounders — and  fifty  Snider  rifles,  together  with  fifty  thou- 
sand rounds  of  Snider  ammunition.  The  military  force  and  sup- 
plies were  to  be  massed  in  Khartoum  ready  to  meet  me  upon  my 
arrival. 

I  had  taken  extra  precautions  in  the  packing  of  ammunition 
and  all  perishable  goods.  The  teak  boxes  for  Snider  ammuni- 
tion, also  the  boxes  of  Hale's  rockets,  were  lined  and  hermetically 
sealed  with  soldered  tin.  The  light  Manchester  goods  and  small- 
er articles  were  packed  in  strong,  useful,  painted  tin  boxes,  with 
locks  and  hinges,  etc.  Each  box  was  numbered,  and  when  the 
lid  was  opened,  a  tin  plate  was  soldered  over  the  open  face,  so 
that  the  lid,  when  closed,  locked  above  an  hermetically  sealed 
case.  Each  tin  box  was  packed  in  a  deal  case,  with  a  number  to 
correspond  with  the  box  within. 

By  this  arrangement  the  tin  boxes  arrived  at  their  destination 
as  good  as  new,  and  were  quite  invaluable  for  traveling,  as  they 
each  formed  a  handy  load,  and  were  alike  proof  against  the  at- 
tacks of  insects  and  bad  weather. 

I  had  long  water-proof  cloaks  for  the  night  sentries  in  rainy 
climates,  and  sou'-wester  caps;  these  proved  of  great  service 
during  active  operations  in  the  wet  season,  as  the  rifles  were  kept 
dry  under  the  cloaks,  and  the  men  were  protected  from  wet  and 
cold  when  on  guard. 

All  medicines  and  drugs  were  procured  from  Apothecaries' 
Hall,  and  were  accordingly  of  the  best  quality. 

The  provisions  for  the  troops  were  dhurra  {sorghum  vulgare), 
wheat,  rice,  and  lentils.    The  supplies  from  England,  and  in  fact 


DELAYS. 


25 


the  general  arrangements,  had  been  so  carefully  attended  to,  that 
throughout  the  expedition  I  could  not  feel  a  want,  neither  could 
I  either  regret  or  wish  to  have  changed  any  plan  that  I  had 
originally  determined. 

For  the  transport  of  the  heavy  machinery  across  the  desert  I 
employed  gun-carriages  drawn  by  two  camels  each.  The  long 
steel  sections  of  steamers  and  the  section  of  life-boats  were  slung 
upon  long  poles  of  fir  from  Trieste,  arranged  between  two  camels 
in  the  manner  of  shafts.  Many  hundred  poles  served  this  pur- 
pose, and  subsequently  were  used  at  head-quarters  as  rafters  for 
magazines  and  various  buildings. 

The  No.  1  steamer,  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  tons,  had  not  ar- 
rived from  England.  I  therefore  left  instructions  that  she  was 
to  be  forwarded  across  the  desert  upon  the  same  principles  as 
adopted  for  the  transport  of  the  other  vessels. 

I  had  thrown  my  whole  heart  into  the  expedition ;  but  I  quick- 
ly perceived  the  difficulties  that  I  should  have  to  contend  with 
in  the  passive  resistance  of  those  whose  interests  would  be  affect- 
ed by  the  suppression  of  the  slave-trade.  The  arrangements  that 
I  had  made  would  have  insured  success,  if  carried  out  according 
to  the  dates  specified.  The  six  steamers  and  the  sailing  flotilla 
from  Cairo  should  have  started  on  June  10th,  in  order  to  have 
ascended  the  cataracts  of  the  Wady  Halfah  at  the  period  of  high 
water.  Instead  of  this  the  vessels  were  delayed,  in  the  absence 
of  the  Khedive  in  Europe,  until  August  29th ;  thus,  by  the  time 
they  reached  the  second  cataract,  the  river  had  fallen,  and  it  was 
impossible  to  drag  the  steamers  through  the  passage  until  the 
next  season.  Thus  twelve  months  were  wasted,  and  I  was  at 
once  deprived  of  the  invaluable  aid  of  six  steamers. 

In  addition  to  this  difficulty  was  the  fact  of  inevitable  delay 
necessitated  by  the  festivities  attending  the  opening  of  the  Suez 
Canal.  The  Khedive,  with  his  .accustomed  hospitality,  had  made 
immense  preparations  for  the  reception  of  visitors,  and  every 
available  vessel  had  been  prepared  for  the  occasion. 

A  train  of  forty-one  railway  wagons,  laden  with  sections  of 
steamers,  machinery,  boiler  sections,  etc.,  etc.,  arrived  at  Cairo,  and 
were  embarked  on  board  eleven  hired  vessels.  With  the  great- 
est difficulty  I  procured  a  steamer  of  one  hundred  and  forty  horse- 
power to  tow  this  flotilla  to  Korosko,  from  which  spot  the  desert 
journey  would  commence.  I  obtained  this  steamer  only  by  per- 
sonal application  to  the  Khedive. 

At  length  I  witnessed  the  start  of  the  entire  English  party  of 
engineers  and  mechanics,  together  with  Mr.  Higginbotham  and 


26 


ISMAILlA. 


Dr.  J.  Gedge.  The  steamer  MinieJi  towed  the  Ions:  line  of  eleven 
vessels  against  the  powerful  stream  of  the  Nile.  One  of  the  tow- 
ropes  snapped  at  the  commencement  of  the  voyage,  which  created 
some  confusion,  but,  when  righted,  they  quickly  steamed  out  of 
view.  This  mass  of  heavy  material,  including  two  steamers,  and 
two  steel  life-boats  of  ten  tons  each,  was  to  be  transported  for 
a  distance  of  about  three  thousand  miles,  four  hundred  of  which 
would  be  across  the  scorching  Nubian  deserts! 

The  first  division  of  the  heavy  baggage  had  started  on  August 
29th,  1869,  with  the  sloops,  to  ascend  the  cataracts  direct  by  river 
to  Khartoum.  I  dared  not  trust  any  portions  of  the  steamers  by 
this  dangerous  route,  lest  by  the  loss  of  one  vessel  with  sections 
I  might  destroy  all  hope  of  success. 

It  was  a  relief  to  have  started  the  main  branches  of  the  ex- 
pedition, after  the  various  delays  that  had  already  seriously  en- 
dangered the  chances  of  the  White  Nile  voyage.  For  that  river 
all  vessels  should  start  from  Khartoum  early  in  November. 

On  December  5th,  1869,  we  brought  up  the  rear,  and  left  Suez 
on  board  an  Egyptian  sloop  of  war,  the  Senaar.  In  four  days 
and  a  half  we  reached  Souakim,  after  an  escape  from  wreck  on 
the  reef  of  Shadwan,  and  a  close  acquaintance  with  a  large  bark, 
with  which,  we  nearly  came  into  collision. 

The  captain  of  our  sloop  was  a  most  respectable  man,  appar- 
ently about  eighty  years  of  age.  The  first  lieutenant  appeared 
to  be  somewhat  his  senior,  and  neither  could  see,  even  with  the 
assistance  of  a  very  greasy  and  dirty  binocular.  The  various 
officers  appeared  to  be  vestiges  from  Noah's  ark  in  point  of  an- 
tiquity;  thus  a  close  shave  with  a  reef  and  a  near  rub  with  a 
strange  vessel  were  little  incidents  that  might  be  expected  in  the 
Red  Sea. 

We  anchored  safely  in  the  harbor  of  Souakim,  and  landed  my 
twenty-one  horses  without  accident. 

I  was  met  by  the  governor,  my  old  friend  Moomtazz  Bey,  a 
highly  intelligent  Circassian  officer,  who  had  shown  me  much 
kindness  on  my  former  expedition. 

A  week's  delay  in  Souakim  was  necessary  to  obtain  camels. 
In  fourteen  daj7s  we  crossed  the  desert,  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  miles,  to  Berber,  on  the  Nile,  and  found  a  steamer  and  diah- 
beeah  in  readiness.  We  arrived  at  Khartoum,  a  distance  of  two 
hundred  miles  by  river,  in  three  days,  having  accomplished  the 
voyage  from  Suez  in  the  short  space  of  thirty-two  days,  includ- 
ing stoppages. 

Khartoum  was  not  changed  externally  ;  but  I  had  observed 


GOVERNMENT  OE  THE  SOUDAN. 


27 


with  dismay  a  frightful  change  in  the  features  of  the  country  be- 
tween Berber  and  the  capital  since  my  former  visit.  The  rich 
soil  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  which  had  a  few  years  since  been 
highly  cultivated,  had  been  abandoned.  Now  and  then  a  tuft  of 
neglected  date-palms  might  be  seen,  but  the  river's  banks,  former- 
ly verdant  with  heavy  crops,  had  become  a  wilderness.  Villages 
once  crowded  had  entirely  disappeared  ;  the  population  was  gone. 
Irrigation  had  ceased.  The  night,  formerly  discordant  with  the 
creaking  of  countless  water-wheels,  was  now  silent  as  death: 
There  was  not  a  dog  to  howl  for  a  lost  master.  Industry  had 
vanished  ;  oppression  had  driven  the  inhabitants  from  the  soil. 

This  terrible  desolation  was  caused  by  the  governor-general  of 
the  Soudan,  who,  although  himself  an  honest  man,  trusted  too 
much  to  the  honesty  of  others,  who  preyed  upon  the  inhabitants. 
As  a  good  and  true  Mohammedan,  he  left  his  territory  to  the 
sole  care  of  God,  and  thus,  trusting  in  Providence,  he  simply  in- 
creased the  taxes.  In  one  year  he  sent  to  the  Khedive,  his 
master,  £100,000  in  hard  dollars,  wrung  from  the  poor  peas- 
antry, who  must  have  lost  an  equal  amount  in  the  pillage  that 
accompanies  the  collection  of  taxes. 

The  population  of  the  richest  portion  of  the  Soudan  fled  from 
oppression,  and  abandoned  the  country;  and  the  greater  portion 
betook  themselves  to  the  slave-trade  of  the  White  Nile,  where,  in 
their  turn,  they  might  trample  upon  the  rights  of  others;  where, 
as  they  had  been  plundered,  they  would  be  able  to  plunder; 
where  they  could  reap  the  harvest  of  another's  labor  ;  and  where, 
free  from  the  restrictions  of  a  government,  they  might  indulge  in 
the  exciting  and  lucrative  enterprise  of  slave -hunting.  Thou- 
sands had  forsaken  their  homes,  and  commenced  a  life  of  brigand- 
age on  the  White  Nile. 

This  was  the  state  of  the  country  when  I  arrived  at  Khartoum. 
The  population  of  this  town,  which  was  about  thirty  thousand 
during  my  former  visit,  was  now  reduced  to  about  half  the  num- 
ber. The  European  residents  had  all  disappeared,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Austrian  Mission  and  Mr.  Hansall,  the  Austrian 
consul ;  also  an  extremely  tough  German  tailor,  who  was  proof 
against  the  climate  that  had  carried  off  his  companions. 

I  had  given  the  necessary  orders  for  vessels  and  supplies  six 
months  previous  ;  thus  I  naturally  expected  to  find  a  fleet  ready 
for  departure,  with  the  troops  and  supplies  waiting  for  orders. 
To  my  surprise,  I  discovered  that  my  instructions  had  been  so 
far  neglected  that,  although  the  troops  were  at  hand,  there  were 
no  vessels  prepared  for  transport.    I  was  coolly  informed  by  the 


28 


ISMAlLlA. 


governor-general  that  "it  was  impossible  to  procure  the  number 
of  vessels  required,  therefore  he  had  procured  a  house  for  me,  as 
he  expected  that  I  should  remain  that  year  at  Khartoum,  and 
start  in  the  following  season." 

There  literally  was  not  one  vessel  ready  for  the  voyage,  in 
spite  of  the  positive  instructions  that  had  been  given.  At  the 
same  time  I  found  that  the  governor-general  had  just  prepared  a 
squadron  of  eleven  vessels,  with  several  companies  of  regular 
troops,  for  an  expedition  to  the  Bahr  Gazal,  where  it  was  intend- 
ed to  form  a  settlement  at  the  copper-mines  on  the  frontier  of 
Darfur.  This  expedition  had  been  placed  under  the  command 
of  one  of  the  most  notorious  ruffians  and  slave -hunters  of  the 
White  Nile.  This  man,  Kutchuk  Ali,  originally  of  low  extrac- 
tion, had  made  a  fortune  in  his  abominable  traffic,  and  had  ac- 
cordingly received  promotion  from  the  governor ;  thus,  at  the 
same  time  that  the  Khedive  of  Egypt  had  employed  me  to  sup- 
press the  slave-trade  of  the  Nile,  a  government  expedition  had 
been  intrusted  to  the  command  of  one  of  the  most  notorious  slave- 
hunters. 

I  at  once  perceived  that  not  only  was  my  expedition  unpopu- 
lar, but  that  it  would  be  seriously  opposed  by  all  parties.  The 
troops  had  been  quartered  for  some  months  at  Khartoum;  dur- 
ing this  time  the  officers  had  been  intimate  with  the  principal 
slave-traders  of  the  country.  All  were  Mohammedans — thus  a 
coalition  would  be  natural  against  a  Christian  who  commanded 
an  expedition  avowedly  to  annihilate  the  slave-trade,  upon  which 
Khartoum  subsisted. 

It  was  a  "house  divided  against  itself;"  the  Khedive  in  the 
North  issued  orders  that  would  be  neutralized  in  the  distant  South 
by  his  own  authorities. 

As  in  the  United  States  of  America  the  opinion  of  the  South 
upon  the  question  of  emancipation  was  opposed  to  that  of  the 
North,  the  opposition  in  the  Soudan  was  openly  avowed  to  the 
reform  believed  to  have  been  suggested  to  the  Khedive  by  En- 
gland. 

The  season  was  already  far  advanced.  There  is  no  weapon 
so  fatal  as  delay  in  the  hands  of  Egyptians.  I  knew  the  inten- 
tions of  the  authorities  were  to  procrastinate  until  the  departure 
of  the  expedition  would  become  impossible.  It  was  necessary  to 
insist  upon  the  immediate  purchase  of  vessels  which  should  have 
been  prepared  months  before. 

None  of  the  steamers  from  Cairo  had  passed  the  cataracts. 
The  fifteen  large  sloops  upon  which  I  had  depended  for  the 


BEGIN  TO  WORE. 


29 


transport  of  camels  had  actually  given  up  the  attempt  and  re- 
turned to  Cairo.  Only  the  smaller  vessels  had  mounted  the  cat- 
aracts, and  they  could  not  arrive  at  Khartoum  for  some  months. 

The  first  division,  consisting  of  all  merchandise  that  I  had  sent 
from  Cairo,  had  arrived  in  Khartoum  under  the  charge  of  a 
Syrian  to  whom  I  had  given  the  command.  I  heard  that  Mr. 
Higginbotham,  accompanied  by  Dr.  Gedge  and  the  English  par- 
ty, together  with  all  the  Egyptian  mechanics,  was  on  his  way 
across  the  desert  in  charge  of  the  steamers  and  machinery,  car- 
ried by  some  thousand  camels.  The  third  division,  brought  up 
by  Mr.  Marcopolo,  arrived  from  Souakim  a  few  days  later  than 
ourselves ;  thus  every  arrangement  that  had  been  intrusted  to  my 
own  officers  was  well  executed. 

After  some  pressure,  the  governor  began  to  purchase  the  ves- 
sels. It  may  be  imagined  that  a  sudden  necessity  gave  a  wel- 
come opportunity  to  certain  officials.  Old  vessels  were  purchased 
at  the  price  of  new,  and  the  government  agent  received  a  bribe 
from  the  owners  to  pass  the  vessels  on  survey.  We  were  now  fit- 
ting out  under  difficulties,  and  working  at  a  task  that  should  have 
been  accomplished  months  since.  Sail-cloth  was  scarce ;  hempen 
ropes  were  rarities  in  Khartoum,  where  the  wretched  cordage 
was  usually  obtained  from  the  leaves  of  the  date-palm.  The 
highest  prices  were  paid  for  every  thing ;  thus  a  prearranged  de- 
lay caused  an  immense  expense  for  the  expedition.  I  studiously 
avoided  any  purchases  personally,  but  simply  gave  the  necessary 
instructions  to  be  executed  by  the  governor.  It  is  only  fair  to 
admit  that  he  now  worked  hard,  and  took  great  interest  in  the 
outfit  of  the  flotilla.  This  governor-general,  DjiafTer  Pasha,  had 
formerly  shown  me  much  kindness  on  my  arrival  at  Souakim, 
during  my  first  journey  in  Africa.  I  had  therefore  reckoned 
upon  him  as  a  friend ;  but  no  personal  considerations  could  palli- 
ate the  secret  hatred  to  the  object  of  the  expedition. 

From  morning  till  night  I  was  occupied  in  pushing  on  the 
work ;  in  this  I  was  ably  assisted  by  Lieutenant  J.  A.  Baker, 
R.  N.,  whose  professional  experience  was  of  much  service.  A 
new  spirit  seemed  to  move  in  Khartoum;  hundreds  of  men  were 
at  work ;  a  row  of  masts  and  yards  rose  up  before  the  govern- 
ment-house; and  in  a  few  weeks  we  had  thirty-three  vessels  of 
fifty  or  sixty  tons  each,  calked,  rigged,  and  ready  for  the  voyage 
of  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  Gondokoro. 

If  the  same  energy  had  been  shown  some  months  ago,  I  should 
have  found  a  fleet  of  fifty  ships  awaiting  me.  I  had  lost  a  month 
at  Khartoum  at  a  season  when  every  day  was  precious. 

3 


30 


ISMAILlA. 


I  reviewed  the  troops,  about  one  thousand  four  hundred  infant- 
ry, and  two  batteries  of  artillery.  The  men  were  in  fine  con- 
dition, but  I  had  no  means  of  transport  for  the  entire  force.  I 
therefore  instructed  Djiaffer  Pasha  to  continue  his  exertions  in 
preparing  vessels,  so  that  on  Mr.  Higginbotham's  arrival  he  might 
follow  with  the  remaining  detachment. 

I  reviewed  the  irregular  cavalry,  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
horse.  These  were  certainly  very  irregular.  Each  man  was 
horsed  and  armed  according  to  his  individual  notion  of  a  trooper  s 
requirements.  There  were  lank,  half-starved  horses ;  round,  short 
horses ;  very  small  ponies ;  horses  that  were  all  legs ;  others  that 
were  all  heads;  horses  that  had  been  groomed;  horses  that  had 
never  gone  through  that  operation.  The  saddles  and  bridles  were 
only  fit  for  an  old  curiosity-shop.  There  were  some  with  faded 
strips  of  gold  and  silver  lace  adhering  here  and  there;  others 
that  resembled  the  horse  in  skeleton  appearance,  which  had  been 
strengthened  by  strips  of  raw  crocodile  skin.  The  unseemly 
huge  shovel-stirrups  were  rusty ;  the  bits  were  filthy.  Some  of 
the  men  had  swords  and  pistols;  others  had  short  blunderbuss- 
es with  brass  barrels ;  many  had  guns  of  various  patterns,  from 
the  long,  old-fashioned  Arab  to  the  commonest  double-barreled 
French  gun  that  was  imported.  The  customs  varied  in  a  like 
manner  to  the  arms  and  animals. 

Having  formed  in  line,  they  now  executed  a  brilliant  charge  at 
a  supposed  enemy,  and  performed  many  feats  of  valor;  and  hav- 
ing quickly  got  into  inconceivable  confusion,  they  at  length  ral- 
lied and  returned  to  their  original  position. 

I  complimented  their  officer;  and  having  asked  Djiaffer  Pasha 
if  these  brave  troops  represented  my  cavalry  force,  and  being  as- 
sured of  the  fact,  I  dismissed  them,  and  requested  Djiaffer  Pasha 
to  inform  them  that  "  I  regretted  the  want  of  transport  would  not 
permit  me  the  advantage  of  their  services.  'Inshallah!'  (Please 
God !)  at  some  future  time,"  etc.,  etc. 

I  thus  got  rid  of  my  cavalry,  which  I  never  wished  to  see  again. 
I  had  twenty-one  good  horses  that  I  had  brought  from  Cairo,  and 
these,  together  with  the  horses  belonging  to  the  various  officers, 
were  as  much  as  we  could  convey. 

The  flotilla  was  ready  for  the  voyage.  We  had  engaged  sail- 
ors with  the  greatest  difficulty,  as  a  general  stampede  of  boatmen 
had  taken  place.  Every  one  ran  from  Khartoum  to  avoid  the 
expedition. 

This  was  a  dodge  of  the  slave-traders,  who  had  incited  the  peo- 
ple to  escape  from  any  connection  with  such  an  enterprise.  It 


AX  OFFICIAL  FAREWELL. 


31 


was  supposed  that  without  boatmen  we  should  be  unable  to 
start. 

The  police  authorities  were  employed,  and  by  degrees  the  nec- 
essary crews  were  secured,  all  unwilling,  and  composed  of  the 
worst  material. 

Six  months'  rations  were  on  board  for  all  hands,  in  addition 
to  the  general  stores  of  corn,  and  cases,  bales,  etc.,  innumerable. 
Forty-six  men  had  been  selected  from  the  two  regiments,  forming 
a  fine  corps,  as  body-guard,  of  equal  numbers  black  and  white. 
I  armed  them  with  Snider  rifles.  They  were  commanded  by  my 
aids-de-camp,  Lieutenant-colonel  Abd-el-Kader  and  Captain  Ma- 
homet Deii. 

On  February  8th,  1870,  the  bugles  announced  the  departure. 
The  troops  hurried  on  board  their  respective  transports  according 
to  the  numbers  painted  on  their  sides  and  sails.  The  official  part- 
ing was  accomplished.  I  had  had  to  embrace  the  governor,  then 
a  black  pasha,  a  rara  avis  in  terris,  and  a  whole  host  of  beys,  con- 
cluding the  affecting  ceremony  with  a  very  fat  colonel  whom  my 
arms  could  not  properly  encircle. 

A  couple  of  battalions  lined  the  shore ;  the  guns  fired  the  usual 
salute  as  we  started  on  our  voyage;  the  flotilla,  composed  of  two 
steamers,  respectively  of  thirty-two  and  twenty-four  horse-power, 
and  thirty-one  sailing-vessels,  with  a  military  force  of  about  eight 
hundred  men,  got  away  in  tolerable  order.  The  powerful  current 
of  the  Blue  Nile  quickly  swept  us  past  Khartoum,  and  having 
rounded  the  point,  we  steamed  up  the  grand  White  Nile.  The 
wind  blew  very  strong  from  the  north ;  thus  the  entire  fleet  kept 
pace  with  the  steamers,  one  of  which  was  towing  my  diahbeeah, 
and  the  other  that  of  the  colonel,  Raouf  Bey.  Thank  God  we 
were  off — with  a  fine  breeze;  thus  all  intrigues  were  left  behind, 
and  the  future  would  be  under  my  own  command. 

On  reference  to  my  journal,  I  find  the  following  entry  upon 
February  8th,  1870: 

"Mr.  Higginbotham,  who  has  safely  arrived  at  Berber  with  the 
steel  steamers  in  sections  for  the  Albert  N'yanza,  will,  I  trust,  be 
provided  with  vessels  at  Khartoum,  according  to  my  orders,  so  as 
to  follow  me  to  Gondokoro  with  supplies,  and  about  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  troops  with  four  guns. 

"  My  original  programme  —  agreed  to  by  his  highness  the 
Khedive,  who  ordered  the  execution  of  my  orders  by  the  author- 
ities— arranged  that  six  steamers,  fifteen  sloops,  and  fifteen  diah- 
beeahs  should  leave  Cairo  on  June  10th,  to  ascend  the  cataracts 
to  Khartoum,  at  which  place  Djiaffer  Pasha  was  to  prepare  three 


32 


steamers  and  twenty- five  vessels  to  convey  one  thousand  six 
hundred  and  fifty  troops,  together  with  transport  animals  and 
supplies. 

"  The  usual  Egyptian  delays  have  entirely  thwarted  my  plans. 
No  vessels  have  arrived  from  Cairo,  as  they  only  started  on  Au- 
gust 29th.  Thus,  rather  than  turn  back,  1  start  with  a  mutilated 
expedition,  without  a  single  transport  animal" 

Having  minutely  described  the  White  Nile  in  a  former  work, 
"  The  Albert  N'yanza,"  I  shall  not  repeat  the  description.  In 
one  hundred  and  three  hours  and  ten  minutes'  steaming  we  reach- 
ed Fashoda,  the  government  station  in  the  Shillook  country,  N. 
lat.  9°  52',  six  hundred  and  eighteen  miles  by  river  from  Khar- 
toum. 

This  town  had  been  fortified  by  a  wall  and  flanking  towers 
since  I  had  last  visited  the  White  Nile,  and  it  was  garrisoned  by 
a  regiment  of  Egyptian  soldiers.  Ali  Bey,  the  governor,  was  a 
remarkably  handsome  old  man,  a  Kurd.  He  assured  me  that 
the  Shillook  country  was  in  excellent  order;  and  that  according 
to  the  instructions  received  from  the  Khedive  he  had  exerted 
himself  against  the  slave-trade,  so  that  it  was  impossible  for  ves- 
sels to  pass  the  station. 

Fashoda  was  well  situated  for  this  purpose,  as  it  completely 
dominated  the  river;  but  I  much  doubted  my  friend's  veracity. 

Having  taken  on  board  a  month's  rations  for  all  hands,  we 
started ;  and,  with  a  strong  breeze  in  our  favor,  we  reached  the 
Sobat  junction  on  February  16th,  at  12.30  P.M. 

There  we  took  in  fresh  water,  as  that  of  the  Sobat  is  superior 
to  that  of  the  White  Nile.  At  this  season  the  river  was  about 
eight  feet  below  the  level  of  the  bank.  The  water  of  the  Sobat 
is  yellowish,  and  it  colors  that  of  the  White  Nile  for  a  great  dis- 
tance. By  dead  reckoning  I  made  the  Sobat  junction  six  hun- 
dred and  eighty-four  miles  by  river  from  Khartoum. 

When  I  saw  the  Sobat,  in  the  first  week  of  January,  1863,  it 
was  bank-full.  The  current  is  very  powerful,  and  when  I  sound- 
ed in  various  places  during  my  former  voyage,  I  found  a  depth 
of  twenty-six  to  twenty-eight  feet.  The  volume  of  water  brought 
to  the  Nile  by  this  river  is  immense,  and  the  power  of  the  stream 
is  so  superior  to  that  of  the  White  Nile,  that,  as  it  arrives  at  right 
angles,  the  waters  of  the  Nile  are  banked  up.  The  yellow  water 
of  the  Sobat  forms  a  distinct  line  as  it  cuts  through  the  clear  wa- 
ter of  the  main  river,  and  the  floating  rafts  of  vegetation  brought 
down  by  the  White  Nile,  instead  of  continuing  their  voyage, 
are  headed  back,  and  remain  helplessly  in  the  back-water.  The 


DISAPPEARANCE  OF  THE  RIVER. 


33 


sources  of  the  Sobat  are  still  a  mystery ;  but  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  principal  volume  must  be  water  of  mountain  origin, 
as  it  is  colored  by  earthy  matter,  and  is  quite  unlike  the  marsh 
water  of  the  White  Nile.  The  expeditions  of  the  slave-hunters 
have  ascended  the  river  as  far  as  it  is  navigable.  At  that  point 
seven  different  streams  converge  into  one  channel,  which  forms 
the  great  river  Sobat.  It  is  my  opinion  that  some  of  these  streams 
are  torrents  from  the  Galla  country,  while  others  are  the  continua- 
tion of  those  southern  rivers  which  have  lately  been  crossed  by 
the  slave-hunters  between  the  second  and  third  degrees  of  north 
latitude. 

The  White  Nile  is  a  grand  river  between  the  Sobat  junction 
and  Khartoum,  and  after  passing  to  the  south  of  the  great  affluent 
the  difference  in  the  character  is  quickly  perceived.  We  now 
enter  upon  the  region  of  immense  flats  and  boundless  marshes, 
through  which  the  river  winds  in  a  labyrinth -like  course  for 
about  seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  Gondokoro. 

Having  left  the  Sobat,  we  arrived  at  the  junction  of  the  Bahr 
Giraffe,  thirty-eight  miles  distant,  at  11  a.m.  on  February  17th. 
Having  turned  into  the  river,  I  waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  fleet. 

The  Bahr  Giraffe  was  to  be  our  new  passage  instead  of  the 
original  White  Nile.  That  river,  which  had  become  so  curiously 
obstructed  by  masses  of  vegetation  that  had  formed  a  solid  dam, 
already  described  by  me  in  "The  Albert  N'yanza,"  had  been 
entirely  neglected  by  the  Egyptian  authorities.  In  consequence 
of  this  neglect  an  extraordinary  change  had  taken  place.  The 
immense  number  of  floating  islands  which  are  constantly  passing 
down  the  stream  of  the  Wrhite  Nile  had  no  exit:  thus  they  were 
sucked  under  the  original  obstruction  by  the  force  of  the  stream, 
which  passed  through  some  mysterious  channel,  until  the  subter- 
ranean passage  became  choked  with  a  wondrous  accumulation 
of  vegetable  matter.  The  entire  river  became  a  marsh,  beneath 
which,  by  the  great  pressure  of  water,  the  stream  oozed  through 
innumerable  small  channels.  In  fact,  the  White  Nile  had  dis- 
appeared. A  vessel  arriving  from  Khartoum  in  her  passage  to 
Gondokoro  would  find,  after  passing  through  a  broad  river  of 
clear  water,  that  her  bow  would  suddenly  strike  against  a  bank 
of  solid  compressed  vegetation — this  was  the  natural  dam  that 
had  been  formed  to  an  unknown  extent:  the  river  ceased  to  exist. 

It  may  readily  be  imagined  that  a  dense  spongy  mass  which 
completely  closed  the  river  would  act  as  a  filter:  thus,  as  the 
water  charged  with  muddy  particles  arrived  at  the  dam  where 
the  stream  was  suddenly  checked,  it  would  deposit  all  impurities 


34 


ISMAILX2. 


as  it  oozed  and  percolated  slowly  through  the  tangled  but  com- 
pressed mass  of  vegetation.  This  deposit  quickly  created  mud- 
banks  and  shoals,  which  effectually  blocked  the  original  bed  of 
the  river.  The  reedy  vegetation  of  the  country  immediately  took 
root  upon  these  favorable  conditions,  and  the  rapid  effect  in  a 
tropical  climate  may  be  imagined.  That  which  had  been  the 
river-bed  was  converted  into  a  solid  marsh. 

This  terrible  accumulation  had  been  increasing  for  five  or  six 
years,  therefore  it  was  impossible  to  ascertain  or  even  to  speculate 
upon  the  distance  to  which  it  might  extend.  The  slave-traders 
had  been  obliged  to  seek  another  route,  which  they  had  found 
via  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  which  river  had  proved  to  be  merely  a 
branch  of  the  White  Nile,  as  I  had  suggested  in  my  former  work, 
and  not  an  independent  river. 

I  was  rather  anxious  about  this  new  route,  as  I  had  heard  con- 
flicting accounts  in  Khartoum  concerning  the  possibility  of  navi- 
gating such  large  vessels  as  the  steamers  of  thirty-two  horse-pow- 
er and  a  hundred  feet  length  of  deck.  I  was  provided  with  guides 
who  professed  to  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  river ;  these 
people  were  captains  of  trading-vessels,  who  had  made  the  voy- 
age frequently. 

On  February  18th,  at  10  A.M.,  the  rear  vessels  of  the  fleet 
arrived,  and  at  11.40  a.m.  the  steamers  worked  up  against  the 
strong  current  independently.  Towing  was  difficult,  owing  to  the 
sharp  turns  of  the  river.  The  Bahr  Giraffe  was  about  seventy 
yards  in  width,  and  at  this  season  the  banks  were  high  and  dry. 
Throughout  the  voyage  on  the  White  Nile  we  had  had  excel- 
lent wild-fowl  shooting  whenever  we  had  halted  to  cut  fuel  for 
the  steamers.  One  afternoon  I  killed  a  hippopotamus,  two  croco- 
diles, and  two  pelicans,  with  the  rifle.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Bahr 
Giraffe  I  bagged  twenty-two  ducks  at  a  right  and  left  shot  with  a 
No.  10-shot-gun. 

As  the  fleet  now  slowly  sailed  against  the  strong  current  of 
the  Bahr  Giraffe,  I  walked  along  the  bank  with  Lieutenant  Baker, 
and  shot  ten  of  the  large  francolin  partridge,  which,  in  this  dry 
season,  were  very  numerous.  The  country  was  as  usual  flat,  but, 
bearing  due  south  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe  junction,  about  twelve 
miles  distant,  is  a  low  granite  hill,  partially  covered  with  trees; 
this  is  the  first  of  four  similar  low  hills  that  are  the  only  rising 
points  above  the  vast  prairie  of  flat  plain. 

As  we  were  walking  along  the  bank  I  perceived  an  animal  as- 
cending from  the  river  about  two  hundred  yards  distant,  where 
it  had  evidently  been  drinking :  we  immediately  endeavored  to 


THE  BAHB  GIRAFFE. 


35 


cut  off  its  retreat,  when  it  suddenly  emerged  from  the  grass  and 
discovered  a  fine  lion  with  large  shaggy  mane.  The  king  of 
beasts,  as  usual,  would  not  stand  to  show  fight  in  the  open,  but 
bounded  off  in  the  direction  of  the  rocky  hills. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  give  a  few  extracts  from  my  journal  to 
convey  an  exact  idea  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe.  The  river  was  very 
deep,  averaging  about  nineteen  feet,  and  it  flowed  in  a  wind- 
ing course,  through  a  perfectly  flat  country  of  prairie,  diversified 
with  forest — all  of  which,  although  now  dry,  had  the  appearance 
of  being  flooded  during  the  rainy  season : 

"February  23. — Steamed  from  6  A.M.  till  7  P.M.  Vast  treeless 
marshes  in  wet  season — now  teeming  with  water-fowl :  say  fifty 
miles  accomplished  to-day  through  the  ever-winding  river.  The 
wood  from  the  last  forest  is  inferior,  and  we  have  only  sufficient 
fuel  for  five  hours  left  upon  the  steamer.  The  diahbeeah  in  tow 
carries  about  twenty  hours'  fuel :  thus,  should  we  not  arrive  at 
some  forest  in  twenty-five  hours,  we  shall  be  helpless. 

"The  river  was  exceedingly  narrow  about  fifteen  miles  from 
our  starting-point  this  morning.  The  stream  was  strong  but 
deep,  flowing  through  the  usual  tangled  grass,  but  divided  into 
numerous  small  channels  and  back-waters  that  render  the  navi- 
gation difficult. 

"In  this  spot  the  river  is  quite  bank-full,  and  the  scattered  na- 
tive villages  in  the  distance  are  in  swamps.  The  innumerable 
high  white  ant-hills  are  the  only  dry  spots. 

"February  24. — Started  at  6  a.m.  Every  body  eaten  up  by 
mosquitoes.  At  9  a.m.  the  steamer  smashed  her  starboard  pad- 
dle: the  whole  day  occupied  in  repairing.  Saw  a  bull  elephant 
in  the  marshes  at  a  distance.  Horrible  treeless  swamps,  swarm- 
ing with  mosquitoes. 

"February  25. — Started  at  7  A.M.  At  10  A.M.  arrived  at  a 
very  narrow  and  shallow  portion  of  this  chaotic  river  completely 
choked  by  drift  vegetation.  All  hands  worked  hard  to  clear  a 
passage  through  this  obstruction  until  2.30,  when  we  passed 
ahead.  At  4  P.M.  we  arrived  at  a  similar  obstacle;  the  water 
very  shallow ;  and  to-morrow  we  shall  have  to  cut  a  passage 
through  the  high  grass,  beneath  which  there  is  deeper  water.  I 
ordered  fifty  swords  to  be  sharpened  for  the  work.  We  counted 
seventy  elephants  in  the  distance,  but  there  is  no  possibility  of 
reaching  them  through  the  immense  area  of  floating  vegetation. 

"February  26. — Hard  at  work  with  forty  men  cutting  a  canal 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  long  through  the  dense  mass 
of  compressed  vegetation. 


36 


ISMAILlA. 


"February  27. — Working  hard  at  canal.  The  fleet  has  not 
arrived  ;  thus  we  are  short-handed. 

"February  28. — The  canal  progresses,  the  men  having  worked 
well.  It  is  a  curious  collection  of  trash  that  seriously  impedes 
navigation.  The  grass  resembles  sugar-canes;  this  grows  from 
twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  length,  and  throws  out  roots  at  every 
joint:  thus,  when  matted  together,  its  roots  still  increase,  and 
render  the  mass  a  complete  tangle.  During  the  wet  season  the 
rush  of  water  tears  off  large  rafts  of  this  floating  water -grass, 
which  accumulate  in  any  favorable  locality.  The  difficulty  of 
clearing  a  passage  is  extreme.  After  cutting  out  a  large  mass 
with  swords,  a  rope  is  made  fast,  and  the  raft  is  towed  out  by 
hauling  with  thirty  or  forty  men  until  it  is  detached  and  floated 
down  the  stream.  Yesterday  I  cut  a  narrow  channel  from  above 
stream  in  the  hope  that  the  rush  of  water  would  loosen  the 
mass  of  vegetation.  After  much  labor,  at  12.30  P.M.  the  whole 
obstruction  appeared  to  heave.  There  was  soon  no  doubt  that  it 
was  moving,  and  suddenly  the  entire  dam  broke  up.  Immense 
masses  were  carried  away  by  the  rush  of  water  and  floated  down 
the  river ;  these  will,  I  fear,  cause  an  obstruction  lower  down  the 
stream. 

"  We  got  up  steam,  served  out  grog  to  all  the  men,  and  started 
at  2  p.m.  In  half  an  hour's  steaming  we  arrived  at  another  block 
of  vegetation.  In  one  hour  and  three-quarters  we  cleared  a  pas- 
sage, and  almost  immediately  afterward  we  arrived  at  the  first 
piece  of  dry  ground  that  we  have  seen  for  days.  This  piece  of 
firm  land  was  a  few  feet  higher  than  the  maximum  rise  of  the 
river,  and  afforded  about  half  an  acre.   We  stopped  for  the  night. 

"March  1. — Started  at  6.30  a.m.,  the  river  narrowing  immedi- 
ately, and  after  a  run  of  half  a  mile  we  found  ourselves  caught  in 
a  trap.  The  river,  although  fourteen  feet  deep,  had  entirely  dis- 
appeared in  a  boundless  sea  of  high  grass,  which  resembled  sugar- 
canes.  There  was  no  possibility  of  progress.  I  returned  to  our 
halting-place  of  last  night  in  a  small  rowing-boat,  and  examined 
it  thoroughly.  I  found  marks  of  occupation  by  the  slave-traders 
about  three  months  old.  Among  the  vestiges  were  the  remains 
of  fires,  a  piece  of  a  lucifer-match  box,  a  number  of  cartridge- 
cases — they  had  been  fired — and  a  piece  of  rawhide  pierced  with 
bullets,  that  had  evidently  been  used  as  a  target. 

"I  shot  two  geese  and  five  plover,  and  returned  to  our  vessel. 
My  opinion  is  that  the  slave-hunters  have  made  a  razzia  inland 
from  this  spot,  but  that  our  guide,  Bedawi,  has  led  us  into  a 
wrong  channel. 


CRUELTY  OF  TRADERS. 


37 


"  I  attempted  to  seek  a  passage  ahead,  but  it  was  quite  impossi- 
ble for  the  smallest  rowing-boat  to  penetrate  the  dense  vegetation. 

"An  advance  being  impossible,  I  ordered  the  steamer  and  two 
diahbeeahs  to  return  down  the  river  about  eighty  miles  to  our 
old  wooding-place  at  the  last  forest,  as  we  are  nearly  out  of  fuel. 
We  thus  lose  time  and  trouble,  but  there  is  no  help  for  it.  For 
some  days  there  has  been  no  wind,  except  uncertain  breaths  from 
the  south.  Unless  a  change  shall  take  place,  I  have  no  idea  how 
the  fleet  will  be  able  to  come  up  against  the  stream. 

"March  2. — At  6.30  a.m.  we  got  under  way  and  ran  down 
stream  at  eight  miles  an  hour  toward  our  old  wooding-place. 
Saw  a  few  buffaloes.  At  1  p.m.  we  passed  on  left  bank  a  branch 
of  the  river.  At  3.30  sighted  the  tall  yards  of  the  fleet  in  the 
distance.  At  4.30  we  arrived  at  the  extreme  southern  limit  of 
the  forest,  and  met  Raouf  Bey  with  the  steamer  and  twenty-five 
vessels,  with  a  good  supply  of  wood.  The  troops  were  in  good 
health,  but  one  unfortunate  man  had  been  carried  off  by  a  croco- 
dile while  sitting  on  the  vessel  with  his  legs  hanging  over  the 
side. 

"March  3. — Filling  up  with  wood  from  the  forest. 

"March  4. — Sent  the  steamer  back  to  the  station  of  Kutchuk 
Ali,  the  trader,  to  procure  some  cattle  for  the  troops.  In  this 
neighborhood  there  is  dry  land  with  many  villages,  but  the  entire 
country  has  been  pillaged  by  Kutchuk  Ali's  people — the  natives 
murdered,  the  women  carried  off,  etc. 

"  Eaouf  Bey  counted  the  bodies  of  eighteen  natives  who  had 
been  shot  near'  the  traders'  camp.  Yesterday  I  went  to  a  native 
village,  and  made  friends  with  the  people,  some  of  whom  came 
down  to  our  boats ;  they  complained  bitterly  that  they  were  sub- 
ject to  pillage  and  massacre  by  the  traders.  These  so-called 
traders  are  the  people  of  Kutchuk  Ali,  the  officer  employed  by  the 
governor-general  of  the  Soudan  to  command  his  expedition  to  the 
Bahr  Gazal ! 

"Filled  up  with  a  large  supply  of  wood  ready  to  start  to- 
morrow. 

"March  5. — Great  good  fortune!  A  fine  north  wind  for  the 
first  time  during  many  days.  All  the  vessels  sailing  well.  We 
started  at  7  a.m.  Saw  a  Baleniceps  Rex;  this  is  the  second  of 
these  rare  birds  that  I  have  seen. 

"At  1  p.m.,  as  we  were  steaming  easily,  I  happened  to  be 
asleep  on  the  poop -deck,  when  I  was  suddenly  awakened  by 
a  shock,  succeeded  almost  immediately  by  the  cry,  'The  ship's 
sinking!'    A  hippopotamus  had  charged  the  steamer  from  the 


38 


ISMAIL! A. 


bottom,  and  had  smashed  several  floats  off  her  starboard  paddle. 
A  few  seconds  later  he  charged  our  diahbeeah,  and  striking  her 
bottom  about  ten  feet  from  the  bow,  he  cut  two  holes  through 
the  iron  plates  with  his  tusks.  There  was  no  time  to  lose,  as 
the  water  was  rushing  in  with  great  force.  Fortunately,  in  this 
land  of  marsh  and  floating  grass,  there  were  a  few  feet  of  toler- 
ably firm  ground  rising  from  the  deep  water.  Eunning  along- 
side, all  hands  were  hard  at  work  discharging  cargo  with  great 
rapidity,  and  baling  out  with  every  conceivable  utensil,  until  we 
obtained  assistance  from  the  steamer,  whose  large  hand -pump 
and  numerous  buckets  at  length  so  far  overcame  the  rush  of  wa- 
ter that  we  could  discover  the  leaks. 

"  We  now  found  two  clean  holes  punched  through  the  iron  as 
though  driven  by  a  sharp  pickaxe.  Some  hours  were  occupied 
in  repairing  the  damage  by  plastering  white -lead  upon  some 
thick  felt;  this  was  placed  over  the  holes,  and,  small  pieces  of 
plank  being  laid  over  the  felt,  they  were  secured  by  an  upright 
piece  of  timber  tightened  with  wedges  from  a  cross-beam.  The 
leaks  were  thus  effectually  and  permanently  stopped. 

"By  sunset  all  was  completed,  and  the  vessel  reloaded;  but  I 
sent  twenty-eight  boxes  of  Snider  ammunition  on  board  the  ten- 
der. This  miserable  wood  tender  has  sprung  her  yard  so  that 
she  can  not  carry  sail.  The  day  was  entirely  lost,  together  with 
a  fine  north  wind. 

"March  6. — Brisk  wind  from  the  north.  Started  at  5.45  A.M., 
but  at  7  a.m.  something  happened  to  the  engine,  and  the  steamer 
stopped  until  eight.  After  frequent  stoppages,  owing  to  the  sharp 
bends  in  the  narrow  river,  we  arrived  at  the  spot  where  we  had 
formerly  opened  the  dam ;  there  the  current  ran  like  a  rapid. 

"March  7. — Much  difficulty  in  ascending  the  river;  but  upon 
arrival  at  the  dry  ground  (called  the  '  dubba '),  we  found  the 
No.  8  steamer  and  the  whole  fleet  assembled,  with  the  exception 
of  six  that  are  in  sight. 

"March  8. — The  other  vessels  arrived;  I  have  thus  thirty -four 
sail,  including  the  two  steamers.  The  entire  country  is  swamp, 
covered  with  immensely  high  water -grass,  beneath  which  the 
depth  is  considerable.  The  reputed  main  channel  of  the  river  is 
supposed  to  come  from  S.W.;  this  is  only  denoted  by  a  stream 
three  or  four  feet  broad,  concealed  by  high  grass,  and  in  places 
choked  by  the  Pistia  Stratiotes.  These  surface-plants,  which  re- 
semble floating  cabbages  with  fine  thready  roots,  like  a  human 
beard  of  sixteen  inches  in  length,  form  dense  masses  which  are 
very  difficult  to  clear. 


THE  CUL-DE-SAC. 


39 


"Our  guides  are  useless,  as  we  can  not  depend  upon  their 
contradictory  statements.  We  are  in  a  deplorable  position — the 
whole  fleet  in  a  cul-de-sac;  the  river  has  disappeared;  an  un- 
known distance  of  apparently  boundless  marsh  lies  before  us ; 
there  is  no  wood,  and  there  is  no  possibility  of  moving  without 
cutting  a  channel. 

"  I  have  ordered  thirty  vessels  to  form  in  line,  single  file,  and 
to  cut  a  canal. 

"March  9. — The  men  worked  famously,  but  I  much  fear  they 
will  be  laid  up  with  fever  if  kept  at  such  an  unhealthy  task. 
To-day  a  force  of  seven  hundred  men  cut  about  a  mile  and  a 
half.  They  are  obliged  to  slash  through  with  swords  and  knives, 
and  then  to  pull  out  the  greater  portion  of  the  grass  and  vegeta- 
ble trash ;  this  is  piled  like  artificial  banks  on  either  side  upon 
the  thick  floating  surface  of  vegetation.  I  took  a  small-boat  and 
pushed  on  for  a  mile  and  a  half.  I  found  a  very  narrow  stream, 
like  a  small  brook,  which  gave  hopes  of  lighter  labor  for  to-mor- 
row. I  shall  therefore  try  to  force  the  steamer  through.  Thir- 
ty-two men  reported  on  the  sick-list  this  evening. 

"March  10. — A  fine  north  wind  for  about  half  an  hour,  when 
it  suddenly  chopped  round  to  the  S.E.  We  cut  on  far  ahead,  so 
that  I  was  able  to  push  on  the  steamers  and  the  whole  fleet  for  a 
distance  of  about  five  miles.    I  had  a  touch  of  fever. 

"March  11. — Frightful  stinking  morass.  All  stopped  at  a 
black  muddy  pond  in  the  swamp.  The  river  is  altogether  lost. 
We  have  to  cut  a  passage  through  the  morass.  Hard  work 
throughout  the  day.  One  soldier  died  of  sun-stroke.  No  ground 
in  which  to  bury  him. 

"It  is  a  curious  but  most  painful  fact  that  the  entire  White 
Nile  has  ceased  to  be  a  navigable  river.  The  boundless  plains 
of  marsh  are  formed  of  floating  rafts  of  vegetation  compressed 
into  firm  masses  by  the  pressure  of  water  during  floods.  So 
serious  is  this  obstacle  to  navigation,  that  unless  a  new  channel 
can  be  discovered,  or  the  original  Nile  be  re-opened,  the  centre 
of  Africa  will  be  entirely  shut  out  from  communication,  and  all 
my  projects  for  the  improvement  of  the  country  will  be  ruined 
by  this  extraordinary  impediment. 

"March  12. — I  think  I  can  trace  by  telescope  the  fringe  of  tall 
papyrus  rush  that  should  be  the  border  of  the  White  Nile ;  but 
this  may  may  be  a  delusion.  The  wind  is  S.W.,  dead  against  us. 
Many  men  are  sick,  owing  to  the  daily  work  of  clearing  a  chan- 
nel through  the  poisonous  marsh.  This  is  the  Mohammedan 
festival  of  the  Hadj  ;  therefore  there  is  little  work  to-day. 


Ill 


ISMALLlA. 


" March  13. — Measured  four  hundred  and  sixty  yards  of  appar- 
ently firm  marsh,  through  whieh  we  plumbed  the  depth  by  long- 
poles  thrust  to  the  bottom. 

"Flowing  water  being  found  beneath,  I  ordered  the  entire 
force  to  turn  out  and  cut  a  channel,  which  I  myself  superintend- 
ed in  the  advance  boat. 

"By  6  p.m.  the  canal  was  completed,  and  the  wind  having 
come  round  to  the  north,  we  sailed  through  the  channel  and  en- 
tered a  fine  lake  about  half  a  mile  wide,  followed  by  the  whole 
fleet  with  bugles  and  drums  sounding  the  advance,  the  troops 
vainly  hoping  that  their  work  was  over.  The  steamers  are  about 
a  mile  behind,  and  I  have  ordered  their  paddles  to  be  dismounted 
to  enable  them  to  be  towed  through  the  high  grass  in  the  narrow 
channel. 

"March  14. — At  6  a.m.  I  started  and  surveyed  the  lake  in  a 
small  rowing-boat,  and  found  it  entirely  shut  in  and  separated 
from  another  small  lake  by  a  mass  of  dense  rotten  vegetation 
about  eighty  yards  in  width.  I  called  all  hands,  and  cleared  it 
in  fifty-five  minutes  sufficiently  to  allow  the  fleet  to  pass  through. 
Upon  an  examination  of  the  next  lake,  I  found,  to  my  intense 
disappointment,  that  not  only  was  it  closed  in,  but  there  was  no 
outlet  visible  even  from  the  mast-head.  Not  a  drop  of  water  was 
to  be  seen  ahead,  and  the  entire  country  was  a  perfect  chaos, 
where  the  Spirit  of  God  apparently  had  not  yet  moved  upon  the 
waters.  There  was  neither  earth  nor  clear  water,  nor  any  solid 
resting-place  for  a  human  foot.  Now  and  then  a  solitary  bittern 
rose  from  the  marsh,  but,  beyond  a  few  water-rails,  there  were  no 
other  birds.  The  grass  was  swarming  with  snakes,  and  also  with 
poisonous  ants  that  attacked  the  men,  and  greatly  interfered  with 
the  work. 

"It  is  easier  to  clear  a  passage  through  the  green  grass  than 
through  the  rotten  vegetation.  The  former  can  be  rolled  in 
heaps  so  as  to  form  banks;  it  is  then  secured  by  tying  it  to  the 
strong  grass  growing  behind  it.  The  rotten  stuff  has  no  adher- 
ence, and  a  channel  closes  up  almost  as  fast  as  it  is  made  ;  thus 
our  labor  does  no  permanent  good.  I  am  in  great  anxiety  about 
Mr.  Higginbotham ;  it  will  be  impossible  for  him  to  proceed  by 
this  route,  should  he  arrive  with  a  comparatively  small  force  and 
heavily-laden  vessels. 

"As  the  channel  closes  so  rapidly,  I  must  wait  until  the  steam- 
ers can  close  up  in  a  compact  line  with  the  fleet. 

"  The  black  troops  have  more  spirit  than  the  Egyptians,  but 
they  are  not  so  useful  in  clearing  channels,  as  they  are  bad  swim- 


DISCOURAGING  PROSPECT. 


41 


mers.  They  discovered  to-day  a  muddy  spot  where  they  had  a 
great  hunt  for  fish,  and  succeeded  in  capturing  with  their  hands 
about  five  hundred  pounds'  weight  of  the  Prolypterus,  some  of 
which  were  above  four  pounds.  We  caught  for  ourselves  a  num- 
ber of  very  delicious  boulti  (Perca  Nilotica)  with  a  casting-net. 

" March  15. —  Having  probed  the  marsh  with  long  poles,  I 
found  deep  water  beneath,  which  denoted  the  course  of  the  sub- 
vegetal  stream.  All  hands  at  work,  and  by  the  evening  we  had 
cut  a  channel  three  hundred  yards  in  length.  The  marsh  swarms 
with  snakes,  one  of  which  managed  to  enter  the  cabin  window 
of  the  diahbeeah.  The  two  steamers,  now  far  astern,  have  become 
choked  by  a  general  break-up  and  alteration  of  their  portion  of 
the  world.  The  small  lake  in  which  I  left  them  is  no  longer 
open  water,  but  has  become  a  dense  mass  of  compressed  vegeta- 
ble rafts,  in  which  the  steamers  are  jammed  as  though  frozen  in 
an  ice-drift  in  the  Arctic  regions !  There  is  much  work  required 
to  clear  them.  The  only  chance  of  progress  will  be  to  keep  the 
entire  fleet  in  compact  line,  so  as  to  push  through  a  new  channel 
as  quickly  as  it  is  made.  I  shall  send  back  the  wood  tender,  if 
possible,  from  this  spot  with  a  letter  to  stop  Mr.  Higginbotham, 
should  he  be  south  of  the  Sobat ;  as  it  will  be  impossible  for  him 
to  proceed  until  next  season.  Many  of  the  men  are  sick  with 
fever,  and  if  this  horrible  country  should  continue,  they  will  all 
sicken. 

"  March  16. — I  went  back  in  a  rowing-boat,  accompanied  by 
Lieutenant  Baker,  to  the  two  steamers,  which  we  found  stuck 
fast  in  the  drift-rafts  that  had  closed  in  upon  them.  Many  men 
are  sick ;  all  are  dispirited,  and  they  work  badly.  Having  work- 
ed all  day,  we  returned  at  6.30  P.M.  to  my  diahbeeah,  having  the 
good  fortune  to  shoot  seven  ducks  by  a  family  shot  upon  a  mud- 
bank  on  the  way  home. 

"  I  found  that  the  main  body  under  the  colonel,  Eaouf  Bey, 
had  completed  the  channel,  about  nine  hundred  yards  long,  to 
lake  No.  3.  I  ordered  sail  to  be  made  immediately,  and  after 
five  hours'  hard  work,  as  the  channel  was  already  beginning  to 
close,  we  arrived  in  the  open  lake  at  11.45  p.m.,  in  which  we  found 
the  fleet  at  anchor. 

"March  17. — The  lake  is  about  two  and  a  half  miles  long,  and 
varies  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hundred  yards  in 
width,  with  a  mean  depth  of  ten  feet.  I  sent  men  ahead  in  the 
boat  to  explore  the  exit;  they  now  report  it  to  be  closed  by  a 
small  dam,  after  which  we  shall  enter  another  lake.  Thunder 
and  clouds  threatening  in  the  south-east. 

4 


42 


ISMAILlA. 


"About  half  an  hour  before  sunset  I  observed  the  head  of  a 
hippopotamus  emerge  from  the  bank  of  high  grass  that  fringed 
the  lake.  My  troops  had  no  meat;  thus  I  would  not  lose  the 
opportunity  of  procuring,  if  possible,  a  supply  of  hippopotamus 
beef.  I  took  a  Keilly  No.  8  breech-loader,  and  started  in  the  lit- 
tle dingy  belonging  to  the  diahbeeah.  Having  paddled  quietly 
along  the  edge  of  the  grass  for  a  couple  of  hundred  yards,  I  ar- 
rived near  the  spot  from  which  the  hippopotamus  had  emerged. 

"It  is  the  general  habit  of  the  hippopotami  in  these  marsh  dis- 
tricts to  lie  in  the  high  grass  swamps  during  the  day,  and  to  swim 
or  amuse  themselves  in  the  open  water  at  sunset. 

"I  had  not  waited  long  before  I  heard  a  snort,  and  I  perceived 
the  hippopotamus  had  risen  to  the  surface  about  fifty  yards  from 
me.  This  distance  was  a  little  too  great  for  the  accurate  firing 
necessary  to  reach  the  brain,  especially  when  the  shot  must  be 
taken  from  a  boat,  in  which  there  is  always  some  movement.  I 
therefore  allowed  the  animal  to  disappear,  after  which  I  imme- 
diately ordered  the  boat  forward,  to  remain  exactly  over  the  spot 
where  he  had  sunk.  A  few  minutes  elapsed,  when  the  great  ugly 
head  of  the  hippopotamus  appeared  about  thirty  paces  from  the 
boat;  and  having  blown  the  water  from  his  nostrils,  and  snorted 
loudly,  he  turned  round  and  seemed  astonished  to  find  the  soli- 
tary little  boat  so  near  him.  Telling  the  two  boatmen  to  sit  per- 
fectly quiet,  so  as  to  allow  a  good  sight,  I  aimed  just  below  the 
eye,  and  fired  a  heavy  shell,  which  contained  a  bursting  charge 
of  three  drachms  of  fine-grained  powder.  The  head  disappeared. 
A  little  smoke  hung  over  the  water,  and  I  could  not  observe 
other  effects.  The  lake  was  deep,  and  after  vainly  sounding  for 
the  body  with  a  boat-hookj  I  returned  to  the  diahbeeah  just  as  it 
became  dark. 

"March  18. — A  heavy  shower  of  rain  fell,  which  lasted  for  an 
hour  and  a  half.  When  the  rain  ceased,  the  day  continued  cloudy 
with  variable  wind.  The  body  of  the  hippopotamus  was  discov- 
ered at  day-break  floating  near  us,  therefore  all  hands  turned  out 
to  cut  him  up,  delighted  at  the  idea  of  fresh  meat.  There  was 
about  an  acre  of  high  and  dry  ground  that  bordered  the  marsh 
in  one  spot;  to  this  the  carcass  of  the  hippopotamus  was  towed. 
I  was  anxious  to  observe  the  effects  of  the  explosive  shell,  as  it 
was  an  invention  of  my  own  that  had  been  manufactured  by  Mr. 
Keilly,  the  gun-maker,  of  London.  This  shell  was  composed  of 
iron,  covered  with  lead.  The  interior  was  a  cast-iron  bottle  (sim- 
ilar in  shape  to  a  stone-ware  Seltzer-water  bottle) ;  the  neck  form- 
ed a  nipple  to  receive  a  percussion-cap.    The  entire  bottle  was 


CROCODILE  JAMMED  BETWEEN  BAFTS. 


4:: 


concealed  by  a  leaden  coating,  which  was  cast  in  a  mould  to  fit  a 
No.  8,  or  two-ounce  rifle.  The  iron  bottle  contained  three  drachms 
of  the  strongest  gunpowder,  and  a  simple  cap  pressed  down  upon 
the  nipple  prepared  the  shell  for  service. 

"  On  an  examination  of  the  head  of  the  hippopotamus,  I  found 
that  the  shell  had  struck  exactly  beneath  the  eye,  where  the  bone- 
plate  is  thin.  It  had  traversed  the  skull,  and  had  apparently  ex- 
ploded in  the  brain,  as  it  had  entirely  carried  away  the  massive 
bone  that  formed  the  back  of  the  skull.  The  velocity  of  the 
projectile  had  carried  the  fragments  of  the  shell  onward  after  the 
explosion,  and  had  formed  a  sort  of  tunnel  which  was  blackened 
with  burned  powder  for  a  considerable  distance  along  the  flesh 
of  the  neck.    I  was  quite  satisfied  with  my  explosive  shell. 

"The  hippopotamus  having  been  divided  among  the  men,  I 
sent  Raouf  Bey  with  a  large  force  to  assist  the  steamers,  which 
still  remain  fixed  in  the  same  spot. 

"At  2  P.M.  it  poured  with  rain  until  9  P.M.  Every  thing  is 
soaking;  and  I  have  great  anxiety  about  our  large  stores  of  corn. 

"March  19. — Fine  day,  but  all  cargo,  stores,  etc.,  are  wet.  The 
miserable  vessels  of  the  Soudan  are  without  decks;  thus  one 
heavy  shower  creates  much  damage.  The  men  are  busy  drying 
their  clothes,  etc.  Two  soldiers  died.  Steamers  far  astern  in  the 
sudd,  regularly  fixed. 

"March  20. — A  boy  died.  I  sent  fresh  men  to  the  assistance 
of  the  steamers,  which  have  to  be  literally  dug  out. 

"March  21. — Yesterday  as  the  men  were  digging  out  the  steam- 
ers, which  had  become  jammed  by  the  floating  rafts,  they  felt 
something  struggling  beneath  their  feet.  They  immediately 
scrambled  away  in  time  to  avoid  the  large  head  of  a  crocodile 
that  broke  its  way  through  the  tangled  mass  in  which  it  had 
been  jammed  and  held  prisoner  by  the  rafts.  The  black  soldiers, 
armed  with  swords  and  bill-hooks,  immediately  attacked  the  croc- 
odile, who,  although  freed  from  imprisonment,  had  not  exactly 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Royal  Humane  Society.  He  was 
quickly  dispatched,  and  that  evening  his  flesh  gladdened  the 
cooking-pots  of  the  Soudani  regiment. 

"I  was  amused  with  the  account  of  this  adventure  given  by 
various  officers  who  were  eye-witnesses.  One  stated,  in  reply  to 
my  question  as  to  the  length  of  the  animal,  'Well,  sir,  I  should 
not  like  to  exaggerate,  but  I  should  say  it  was  forty -five  feet 
long  from  snout  to  tail !'  Another  witness  declared  it  to  be  at 
least  twenty  feet ;  but  by  rigid  cross-examination  I  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  did  not  exceed  ten. 


44 


ISMAIL  1A. 


"  The  steamers  and  tender,  having  been  released,  arrived  this 
morning.  At  1  P.M.  we  started  with  a  light  air  from  the  north- 
east, and  traveled  till  3.30  p.m.  along  the  lake,  which  narrowed 
to  the  dimensions  of  a  moderate  river.  We  at  length  arrived 
at  a  sudd  which  the  advance  boats  had  cleared  for  about  sixty- 
yards.  Having  emerged,  we  were  introduced  to  a  deep  but  ex- 
tremely narrow  channel  flowing  through  the  usual  enormous 
grass. 

"  The  whole  fleet  ranged  in  single  line  to  widen  the  passage. 
We  are  now  about  twelve  miles  from  the  dubba,  or  raised  dry 
ground,  near  to  which  we  first  commenced  clearing.  We  have 
actually  cut  away  about  six  miles  of  vegetation.  No  depend- 
ence whatever  can  be  placed  upon  the  guides :  no  place  answers 
to  their  descriptions.  We  have  now  been  hard  at  work  for  thir- 
teen days  with  a  thousand  men,  during  which  time  we  have 
traveled  only  twelve  miles! 

" March  22. — -Wind  S.W. — foul.  The  people  are  all  lazy  and 
despairing.  Cleared  a  sudd.  I  explored  ahead  in  a  small-boat. 
As  usual,  the  country  is  a  succession  of  sudds  and  small  open 
patches  of  water.  The  work  is  frightful,  and  great  numbers  of  my 
men  are  laid  down  with  fever ;  thus  my  force  is  physically  dimin- 
ished daily,  while  morally  the  men  are  heart-broken.  Another 
soldier  died;  but  there  is  no  dry  spot  to  bury  him.  We  live  in 
a  world  of  swamp  and  slush.  Lieutenant  Baker  shot  a  Baleni- 
ceps  Rex.    This  day  we  opened  about  six  hundred  yards. 

" March  23. — We  have  been  throughout  the  day  employed  in 
tugging  the  vessels  through  the  channel.  The  Egyptians  have 
quite  lost  heart.  The  Soudanis  are  far  more  valuable  as  soldiers ; 
none  of  them  are  ill,  and  they  work  with  a  good  will.  I  serve 
them  out  a  glass  of  grog  in  the  evening.  The  fanatical  fellahs 
will  not  touch  spirits:  thus  they  succumb  to  fever  and  nervous- 
ness when  exhausted  by  the  chill  occasioned  by  working  through- 
out the  day  in  mud  and  water. 

" March  24. — Wind  fresh  from  the  S.W.  All  the  vessels  as- 
sembled last  evening  in  a  small  lake.  Before  us  there  is,  as 
usual,  simply  a  narrow  stream  closed  in  by  vegetation.  I  ob- 
served marks  of  the  traders'  parties  having  broken  through  a  few 
months  ago.  These  people  travel  without  merchandise,  but  with 
a  large  force  of  men:  thus  their  vessels  are  of  light  draught  of 
water.  My  steamers  and  many  of  the  boats  require  four  feet  six 
inches.  Every  vessel  is  heavily  laden  :  thus  they  are  difficult  to 
manage  unless  in  open  and  deep  water. 

"  There  is  to-day  a  forest  on  the  east,  about  two  miles  distant, 


FEVER  AND  DEATHS. 


45 


beyond  the  swamp.  After  a  hard  day's  work  we  made  about 
one  thousand  four  hundred  yards. 

"March  25. — Wind  fair  and  fresh  from  the  N.E.  This  helped 
us  to  make  about  a  mile  through  the  narrow  channel,  hemmed  in 
by  thick  and  high  grass.  Another  soldier  died.  As  usual,  this 
poor  fellow  was  an  artilleryman.  These  men  came  direct  from 
Cairo  with  their  guns;  and  not  being  acclimatized,  they  can  not 
resist  the  fever.  The  Egyptian  troops  give  in,  and  lose  all  heart ; 
but  there  is  much  allowance  to  be  made  for  them,  as  it  is  a  fear- 
ful country,  and  far  beyond  my  worst  experience.  There  is  no 
apparent  break  to  the  boundless  marsh  before  and  behind  us. 
This  is  about  fifteen  miles  wide,  as  forest-trees  and  the  tall  do- 
lape-palms  can  sometimes  be  distinguished  upon  the  horizon. 

"What  the  unfortunate  Higginbotham  will  do  I  can  not  con- 
ceive, as  there  is  no  possibility  of  communicating  with  him,  and 
he  will  get  into  the  rainy  season. 

"Another  soldier  died  this  evening;  he  was  an  excellent  man, 
who  had  been  employed  at  the  arsenal  at  Cairo.  His  friend  and 
bosom  companion  was  a  fellow-workman,  and  he  was  so  grieved 
at  the  loss  that  he  declared  he  should  not  live  beyond  a  few  days. 
There  was  no  dry  ground  in  which  to  dig  a  grave;  it  was  there- 
fore necessary  to  cut  a  hole  in  the  base  of  a  white  ant-hill,  as 
these  Babel-like  towers  were  the  only  dry  spots  that  rose  above 
the  flood. 

"This  death  is  the  sixth  within  the  last  few  days,  exclusive  of 
one  boy.  I  think  our  black  doctor  assists  them  in  departing 
from  this  life,  as  they  die  very  suddenly  when  he  attends  them. 
Like  Dr.  Sangrado,  he  is  very  fond  of  the  lancet,  which  is  usu- 
ally fatal  in  this  climate.    We  made  about  half  a  mile  to-day. 

"March  26.— Wind  fresh  from  the  S.E.  The  ditch  is  com- 
pletely blocked  up  with  vegetation  :  thus  we  made  only  250 
yards.  Before  us,  as  usual,  is  the  hopeless  sea  of  high  grass, 
along  which  is  a  dark  streak,  which  marks  the  course  of  the  ditch 
through  which  we  slowly  clear  a  passage.  How  many  days  or 
months  w7e  may  require  to  reach  the  White  Nile  is  a  problem. 
One  hundred  and  fifty  men  are  on  the  sick-list;  nearly  all  of 
them  are  fellahs.  Upon  my  own  diahbeeah  six  soldiers  out  of  ten 
are  down  with  fever,  in  addition  to  two  of  the  sailors.  I  gave 
them  all  a  severe  shock  with  the  magnetic  battery,  which  appear- 
ed to  have  a  wonderful  effect;  one  fellow,  wTho  had  been  groan- 
ing with  severe  pains  in  his  back  and  limbs,  declaring  that  he  was 
instantly  relieved.  I  made  a  good  shot  with  the  Dutchman  at  a 
Baleniceps  Rex,  at  a  distance  of  upward  of  200  yards. 


46 


IS  MAIL'I A. 


11  There  is  no  rest  by  night  or  day  for  our  people,  who  are 
preyed  upon  by  clouds  of  mosquitoes,  which  attack  like  bull- 
dogs. 

"March  27. — All  hands  hard  at  work  clearing  the  ditch.  Wind 
S.E. — fresh.  The  diahbeeah,  as  usual,  leads  the  way,  followed 
by  No.  10  steamer,  and  the  whole  fleet  in  close  line.  Most  of  the 
men  suffer  from  headache.  This  is  owing  to  the  absurd  cover- 
ing, the  fez,  or  tarboosh,  which  is  no  protection  against  the  sun. 

"In  the  evening  I  took  a  small-boat,  and  in  forty-one  minutes' 
poling  and  tugging  through  the  narrow  channel,  I  succeeded  in 
reaching  a  long  narrow  lake,  resembling  a  river,  about  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  yards  wide.  The  mouth  of  our  effluent  was,  for  a 
wonder,  clear  from  obstruction  ;  I  returned  with  the  joyful  news 
to  the  fleet  after  sunset. 

"March  28. — At  7.30  A.M.  all  hands  turned  out  to  clear  the 
channel  to  the  lake.  This  was  about  five  hundred  yards  long; 
and  the  diahbeeah,  leading  the  way,  entered  the  lake  at  11.30  A.M. 
Unfortunately  a  shallow  channel  near  the  entrance  prevented  the 
steamers  from  entering:  thus  a  passage  had  to  be  dug  in  the 
tough  clay  beneath  them.  The  wind  strong  from  the  south.  I 
am  afraid  the  north  wind  has  deserted  us  for  the  season. 

"Having  entered  the  lake,  I  went  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
ahead  in  my  diahbeeah,  and  anchored  for  the  night  in  a  broad 
and  shallow  portion  of  the  water,  a  forest  being  about  a  mile  dis- 
tant on  the  east  bank :  this  was  a  good  sign  of  terra  ftrma,  but 
there  was  no  dry  spot  upon  which  we  could  land. 

"  The  river  winds  to  the  S.E.,  and  apparently  then  turns  to  the 
west.  The  effluent  through  which  we  joined  this  lake  or  river 
meets  it  at  right  angles,  and  the  river  continues  its  course  to  the 
N.N.W.,  as  though  it  were  the  main  channel  of  a  far  more  im- 
portant  stream  than  the  horrible  ditch  by  which  we  arrived. 
The  guide,  however,  assures  me  that  it  is  blocked  up,  and  loses 
itself  in  boundless  grass  and  reeds. 

"In  the  evening  I  spied  a  hippopotamus  which  had  just  come 
out  of  the  high  grass  into  the  open  river.  It  snorted  loudly  at 
the  strange  sight  of  the  handsomely-painted  diahbeeah.  I  took 
the  boat,  and  upon  my  near  approach  it  was  foolish  enough  to 
swim  toward  us  angrily.  A  shot  from  the  Keilly  No.  8,  with  one 
of  my  explosive  shells,  created  a  lively  dance,  as  the  hippopota- 
mus received  the  message  under  the  eye.  Boiling  over  and  over, 
with  the  legs  frequently  in  the  air,  it  raised  waves  that  rocked 
my  little  boat,  and  made  shooting  difficult;  but  upon  a  close  ap- 
proach, taking  good  care  to  keep  out  of  reach  of  its  struggles,  I 


MORE  HOPEFUL  SIGNS. 


17 


gave  it  a  quietus  with  a  hardened  spherical  ball  from  the  same 
rifle,  which  passed  right  through  the  head.  By  sounding  with  the 
long  boat-hook,  I  found  the  body  at  the  bottom  in  about  ten  feet 
of  water.  My  excellent  captain  of  the  diahbeeah,  Faddul-Moo- 
lah,  dived  to  the  bottom,  and  secured  the  leg  of  the  hippopota- 
mus by  a  rope.  We  towed  it  to  the  diahbeeah,  from  the  deck  of 
which  my  wife  had  had  a  capital  view  of  the  sport.  This  is  a  fine 
feast  for  the  people.    My  explosive  shell  is  frightful  in  its  effects. 

"March  29. — Wind  strong  from  the  south ;  the  steamer  is  not 
yet  out  of  difficulty.  My  men  are  busy  cutting  up  the  hippo- 
potamus. I  sent  off  the  iron  boat  with  three  quarters  of  the  ani- 
mal to  the  troops  astern.  During  the  night  a  crocodile  took 
away  all  the  offal  from  the  stern  of  the  diahbeeah.  The  weather 
is  much  cooler,  owing  to  the  south  wind  and  the  clear  space  in 
which  we  are  now  anchored. 

"March  30. — The  river  is  now  clear  and  unmistakable.  We 
traveled  about  ten  miles  by  poling.  This  is  the  best  day's  work 
that  we  have  made  since  we  entered  this  chaotic  region.  Lieu- 
tenant Baker  came  on  board  my  diahbeeah,  having  brought  up 
the  steamers. 

"  The  country  began  to  look  more  hopeful.  A  forest  at  a 
few  miles'  distance  on  both  the  right  and  left  bank  of  the  river 
betokened  dry  land.  The  river  flowed  between  actual  honest 
banks,  which,  although  only  a  few  inches  above  the  water,  were 
positive  boundaries.  The  flat  plain  was  covered  with  large  white 
ant-hills,  and  the  ground  was  evidently  firm  in  the  distance,  as 
we  could  distinguish  a  herd  of  antelopes. 

"As  we  were  quietly  poling  the  diahbeeah  against  the  slug- 
gish stream,  we  observed  wild  buffaloes  that,  at  a  distance  of 
about  four  hundred  yards,  appeared  to  be  close  to  the  bank  of 
the  river.  I  accordingly  stopped  the  diahbeeah,  and,  accompa- 
nied by  Lieutenant  Baker,  I  approached  them  in  the  small-boat, 
rowed  by  two  men.  A  fortunate  bend  of  the  river,  and  several 
clumps  of  high  rushes,  concealed  the  boat  until  by  a  sudden  turn 
we  came  within  sixty  yards  of  two  bull  buffaloes.  Having  told 
Mr.  Baker  to  take  the  first  shot,  he  sent  a  spherical  No.  8  through 
the  shoulder  of  the  nearest  bull,  which,  after  a  few  plunges,  fell 
dead.  The  other,  startled  at  the  shot,  dashed  off;  at  the  same 
time  he  received  a  shell  from  my  rifle  in  the  flank,  and  a  shot 
from  the  left-hand  barrel  in  the  rear.  With  these  shots  he  went 
off  about  three  hundred  paces,  and  lay  down,  as  we  thought,  to 
die.  I  intended  to  stalk  him  from  behind  the  white  ant-hills; 
but  my  sailors,  in  intense  excitement,  rushed  forward,  supposing 


48 


ISMAILl'A. 


that  his  beef  was  their  own,  and  although  badly  hit,  he  again 
rose,  and  cantered  off  till  lost  in  high  rushes. 

"March  31. — As  we  proceeded,  the  banks  became  drier.  The 
two  steamers  had  arrived  during  the  night,  and  the  whole  fleet 
is  coming  up  astern.  The  river  is  now  about  fifty  yards  wide, 
but  I  am  getting  nervous  about  the  depth ;  the  water  is  very 
shallow  in  some  of  the  bends,  and  I  fear  there  will  be  great  dif- 
ficulty in  getting  through  with  the  steamers  and  heavy  vessels. 
My  diahbeeah,  which  is  of  iron,  although  roomy,  is  exceedingly 
light,  and  only  requires  two  feet  three  inches  of  water.  We 
have  been  fifty-one  days  from  Khartoum.  Never  have  I  known 
so  miserable  a  voyage.    Wind  fresh  from  the  south. 


A  HERD  OF  ANTELOPES. 


49 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  RETREAT. 

"April  1. — All  the  vessels  are  stuck  fast  for  want  of  water! 
This  is  terrible.  I  went  on  in  advance  with  my  diahbeeah, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Baker,  for  about  three  miles  to  explore. 
Throughout  this  distance  the  greatest  depth  was  about  four  feet, 
and  the  average  was  under  three  feet.  At  length  the  diahbeeah, 
which  drew  only  two  feet  three  inches,  was  fast  aground !  This 
was  at  a  point  where  two  raised  mounds,  or  dubbas,  were  on  op- 
posite sides  of  the  river.  I  left  the  vessel,  and,  with  Mr.  Baker, 
I  explored  in  the  rowing-boat  for  about  two  miles  in  advance. 
After  the  first  mile,  the  boat  grounded  in  about  six  inches  of 
water  upon  firm  sand.  The  river,  after  having  deepened  for  a 
short  space,  was  suddenly  divided  into  three  separate  channels, 
all  of  which  were  too  shallow  for  the  passage  of  the  diahbeeah, 
and  two  were  even  too  shallow  to  admit  the  small-boat.  The 
boatmen  jumped  out,  and  we  hauled  her  up  the  shallows  until 
we  reached  the  main  stream,  above  the  three  channels,  which  ran 
from  the  S.S.E.,  but  having  no  greater  mean  depth  than  about 
two  feet  six  inches. 

"We  continued  for  some  distance  up  the  stream  with  the 
same  unfortunate  results.  The  banks,  although  flooded  during 
the  wet  season,  were  now  dry,  and  a  forest  was  about  a  mile  dis- 
tant. Having  left  the  boat  and  ascended  a  white  ant-hill  about 
eight  feet  high,  in  order  to  take  a  view  of  the  country,  I  observed 
a  herd  of  very  beautiful  antelopes,  of  a  kind  that  were  quite  un- 
known to  me. 

uBy  careful  stalking  on  the  flat  plain  from  one  ant-hill  to 
another,  I  obtained  a  fair  shot  at  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
yards,  and  killed.  Both  male  and  female  have  horns;  therefore 
I  found  it  difficult  to  distinguish  the  sex  at  that  distance.  I  was 
delighted  with  my  prize.  It  was  a  female,  weighing,  I  should 
estimate,  about  twenty  stone,  clean.  The  hide  was  a  deep  red- 
dish yellow,  with  black  shoulders  and  legs,  also  black  from  the 
hind  quarters  down  the  hind  legs.  It  belonged  to  the  species 
Hippotragas,  and  had  horns  that  curved  backward,  something 
similar  to  the  Hippatragus  Niger,  but  much  shorter. 


50 


ISMAILIA. 


"  We  soon  cut  it  into  quarters  and  carried  it  to  the  boat.  This 
little  success  in  sport  had  cheered  me  for  the  moment;  but  the 
happy  excitement  quickly  passed  away,  and  we  returned  to  the 
diahbeeah  quite  disheartened.  It  is  simply  impossible  to  con- 
tinue the  voyage,  as  there  is  no  means  of  floating  the  vessels. 

"To-morrow  I  shall  explore  the  channel  No.  3,  which  runs 
from  the  W.S.W. 

"April  2.— I  explored  the  west  channel.  This  is  very  narrow, 
and  overgrown  with  grass.  After  about  a  mile  we  arrived  at  a 
shallow  place  only  two  feet  deep.  The  whole  river  is  absolutely 
impracticable  at  this  season.  During  the  rains,  and  even  to  the 
end  of  December,  when  the  river  is  full,  the  vessels  could  pass, 
but  at  no  other  time.  All  my  labor  has  been  useless,  but  it  would 
be  utterly  absurd  to  attempt  a  farther  advance.  I  have  therefore 
determined  to  return  at  once  to  the  Shillook  country  and  estab- 
lish a  station.  Mr.  Higginbotham  and  party  will  then  unite  with 
us,  and  I  will  collect  the  entire  force  from  Khartoum,  and  start 
with  the  expedition  complete  in  the  end  of  November.  Although 
I  am  grievously  disappointed,  I  am  convinced  that  this  is  the 
wisest  course.  During  the  rainy  season  the  troops  shall  cultivate 
corn,  and  I  shall  explore  the  old  White  Nile  in  a  steamer,  and 
endeavor  to  discover  a  navigable  channel  via  the  original  route 
by  the  Bahr  Gazal. 

"  I  was  obliged  with  a  heavy  heart  to  give  the  sad  order  to 
turn  back ;  at  3  P.M.  we  arrived  at  the  assembled  fleet. 

"  I  summoned  all  the  officers,  and,  in  the  presence  of  Eaouf 
Bey,  I  explained  the  necessity.  The  vessels  immediately  com- 
menced the  return  voyage,  all  the  officers  and  men  being  delight- 
ed at  the  idea  of  a  retreat  which  they  imagined  would  take  them 
to  Khartoum,  and  terminate  the  expedition :  thus  I  had  little 
sympathy.  However,  I  determined  to  make  arrangements  for 
the  following  season  that  would  enable  me  to  cut  through  every 
difficulty.  I  kept  these  intentions  to  myself,  or  only  shared  them 
with  my  wife  and  Lieutenant  Baker. 

u  April  3. — Washed  decks  early,  and  sent  off  three  soldiers : 
thus  reducing  the  escort  on  the  diahbeeah  to  seven  men. 

"  The  entire  fleet  was  in  full  retreat,  with  wind  and  stream  in 
favor.  I  would  not  allow  the  diahbeeah  that  had  always  led  the 
advance  to  accompany  them  in  the  retreat;  therefore  I  allowed 
them  to  push  on  ahead. 

UA  shower  of  rain  fell  to-day;  also  yesterday. 

"A  few  minutes  after  starting,  both  the  steamers  stuck  fast.  As 
I  was  walking  the  poop  of  the  diahbeeah,  I  noticed  with  the  tele- 


WHITE  ANT-HILLS. 


51 


scope  an  antelope  standing  on  the  summit  of  an  ant-hill  about  a 
mile  and  a  quarter  distant.  There  is  no  change  so  delightful  as 
a  little  sport,  if  you  are  in  low  spirits;  thus,  taking  the  rifle,  I 
rowed  up  the  river  for  about  half  a  mile  in  the  small-boat,  and 
then  landing,  I  obtained  the  right  wind.  It  was  exceedingly 
difficult  to  approach  game  in  these  extensive  treeless  flats,  and  it 
would  have  been  quite  impossible,  had  it  not  been  for  the  innu- 
merable hills  of  the  white  ants  ;  these  are  the  distinguishable  fea- 
tures of  these  swampy  countries,  and  the  intelligence  of  the  in- 
sects directs  their  architecture  to  a  height  far  above  the  level  of 
the  highest  floods.  The  earth  used  in  their  construction  is  the 
subsoil  brought  up  from  a  considerable  depth;  as  the  ant-hills 
are  yellow,  while  the  surface-soil  is  black.  The  earth  is  first 
swallowed  by  the  insect,  and  thus  it  becomes  mixed  with  some 
albuminous  matter,  which  converts  it  into  a  cement  that  resists 
the  action  of  rain.  These  hills  were  generally  about  eight  feet 
high  in  the  swampy  districts,  but  I  have,  frequently  seen  them 
above  ten  feet.  The  antelopes  make  use  of  such  ant-hills  as  they 
can  ascend  as  watch-towers,  from  which  lofty  position  they  can 
observe  an  enemy  at  a  great  distance.  It  is  the  custom  of  sever- 
al varieties  to  place  sentries  while  the  herd  is  grazing;  and  upon 
this  occasion,  although  the  sentry  was  alone  visible,  I  felt  sure 
that  the  herd  was  somewhere  in  his  neighborhood.  I  have  no- 
ticed that  the  sentries  are  generally  bulls.  On  this  occasion  I  re- 
solved, if  possible,  to  stalk  the  watchman.  I  was  shooting  with 
a  very  accurate  express  rifle,  a  No.  70  bore  of  Purdey's,  belonging 
to  my  friend,  Sir  Edward  Kerrison,  who  had  kindly  lent  it  to  me 
as  a  favorite  weapon  when  I  left  England.  The  grass  was  very 
low,  and  quite  green,  as  it  had  been  fired  by  the  wandering  na- 
tives some  time  since ;  thus,  in  places,  there  were  patches  of  the 
tall,  withered  herbage  that  had  been  only  partially  consumed 
by  the  fire  while  unripe:  these  patches  were  an  assistance  in 
stalking. 

"It  was,  of  course,  necessary  to  keep  several  tall  ant-hills  in  a 
line  with  that  upon  which  the  antelope  was  standing,  and  to  stoop 
so  low  that  I  could  only  see  the  horns  of  the  animal  upon  the 
sky-line.  In  some  places  it  was  necessary  to  crawl  upon  the 
ground.  This  was  trying  work,  on  account  of  the  sharp  stumps 
of  the  burned  herbage,  which  punished  the  hands  and  knees. 
The  fine  charcoal  dust  from  the  recent  fire  was  also  a  trouble,  as 
the  wind  blew  it  into  the  eyes.  The  water-mark  upon  the  ant- 
hills was  about  eighteen  inches  above  the  base,  proving  the  height 
of  the  annual  floods;  and  a  vast  number  of  the  large  water-helix, 


52 


ISMAIL'lA. 


the  size  of  a  man's  fist,  lay  scattered  over  the  ground,  destroyed 
and  partially  calcined  by  the  late  prairie  fire. 

"  The  sun  was  very  hot,  and  I  found  crawling  so  great  a  dis- 
tance a  laborious  operation ;  my  eyes  were  nearly  blinded  with 
perspiration  and  charcoal  dust;  but  every  now  and  then,  as  I 
carefully  raised  my  head,  I  could  distinguish  the  horns  of  the 
antelope  in  the  original  position.  At  length  I  arrived  at  the  base 
of  the  last  ant-hill,  from  which  I  must  take  my  shot. 

"  There  were  a  few  tufts  of  low  scrub  growing  on  the  summit. 
To  these  I  climbed ;  and  digging  my  toes  firmly  into  an  inequali- 
ty in  the  side  of  the  hill,  I  planted  my  elbows  well  on  the  surface, 
my  cap  being  concealed  by  the  small  bushes  and  tufts  of  wither- 
ed grass.  The  antelope  wras  standing  unconsciously  about  one 
hundred  and  seventy  yards,  or,  as  I  then  considered,  about  one 
hundred  and  eighty  yards  from  me,  perfectly  motionless,  and 
much  resembling  a  figure  fixed  upon  a  pedestal.  The  broad- 
side was  exposed:  thus  it  wTould  have  been  impossible  to  have 
had  a  more  perfect  opportunity  after  a  long  stalk.  Having  wait- 
ed in  position  for  a  minute  or  two,  to  become  cool  and  to  clear 
my  eyes,  I  aimed  at  his  shoulder.  Almost  as  I  touched  the  trig- 
ger, the  antelope  sank  suddenly  upon  its  knees,  in  which  position 
it  remained  for  some  seconds  on  the  summit  of  the  ant-hill,  and 
then  rolled  down  to  the  base,  dead.  I  stepped  the  exact  distance 
— one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  paces.  I  had  fired  rather  high,  as 
the  bullet  had  broken  the  spine  a  little  in  front  of  the  shoulder- 
blade.  It  was  a  very  beautiful  animal,  a  fine  bull,  of  the  same 
kind  that  I  had  killed  on  April  1st.  This  antelope  was  about 
thirteen  hands  high  at  the  shoulder,  the  head  long,  the  face  and 
ears  black,  also  the  top  of  the  head ;  the  body  bright  bay,  with  a 
stripe  of  black  about  fifteen  inches  in  width  extending  obliquely  . 
across  the  shoulder,  down  both  the  fore  and  the  hind  legs,  and 
meeting  at  the  rump.  The  tail  was  long,  with  a  tuft  of  long 
black  hair  at  the  extremity.  The  horns  were  deeply  annulated, 
and  curved  backward  toward  the  shoulders. 

"  This  was  a  very  large  animal,  that  would  have  weighed  quite 
thirty  stone  when  gralloched.  My  boatman,  who  had  been  watch- 
ing the  sport,  immediately  dispatched  a  man  for  assistance  to  the 
diahbeeah.  I  enjoyed  the  beauty  of  this  animal:  the  hide  glis- 
tened like  the  coat  of  a  well-groomed  horse. 

"  I  did  not  reach  the  diahbeeah  until  6  p.m.  ;  we  then  started 
without  delay,  and  reached  the  fleet  at  midnight  at  the  junction 
of  the  ditch  through  which  we  had  previously  arrived  at  the 
main  river. 


r.Y HEALTHINESS  OF  THE  EGYPTIAN  TROOPS. 


53 


"April  A. — The  vessels  are  passing  with  great  difficulty  over 
the  shallow  entrance  of  the  ditch. 

" 'April  5. — All  the  vessels  have  passed.  At  6  p.m.  we  succeed- 
ed, after  much  labor,  in  getting  the  last  of  the  steamers  through. 
This  accomplished,  and  having  the  stream  in  our  favor,  we  passed 
along  in  a  compact  line  for  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  the  ditch 
that  we  had  opened  being  clear  and  in  good  order. 

"April  6. — Another  soldier  died.  This  poor  man  was  the  com- 
panion of  him  who,  a  few  days  ago,  prophesied  his  own  end  when 
he  lost  his  friend.  Curiously  enough,  he  died  as  he  was  passing 
the  spot  where  his  friend  was  buried,  and  we  had  to  bury  him  in 
the  same  ant-hill.  The  Egyptian  troops  are  very  unhealthy. 
When  they  first  joined  the  expedition,  they  were  an  exceedingly 
powerful  body  of  men,  whose  physique  I  much  admired,  although 
their  morale  was  of  the  worst  type.  I  think  that  every  man  has 
lost  at  least  a  stone  in  weight  since  we  commenced  this  dreadful 
voyage  in  chaos,  or  the  Slough  of  Despond. 

"The  boats  reached  the  small  lake,  and  continued  their  voyage 
through  the  channel,  and  anchored  for  the  night  at  the  northern 
extremity  of  the  five-mile  lake.  We  catch  delicious  fish  daily 
with  the  casting-net.  The  best  are  the  Nile  perch,  that  runs  from 
a  pound  to  four  or  five  pounds,  and  a  species  of  carp.  One  of 
my  boatmen  is  a  professional  fisherman  who  understands  the  cast- 
ing-net, but  he  is  the  only  man  who  can  use  it. 

11 April  7. — The  channel  is  again  blocked  up;  all  hands  clear- 
ing into  the  next  lake.  Another  soldier  died — making  a  total  of 
nine;  with  two  sailors  and  a  boy — total,  twelve. 

"April  8. — Passed  into  lake  No.  2,  and  by  the  afternoon  reach- 
ed lake  No.  3,  where  we  found  our  old  channel  blocked  up.  I 
set  men  to  work  to  open  the  passage,  but  there  is  no  chance  of 
its  completion  until  about  noon  to-morrow.  Since  we  passed  this 
lake  a  change  has  taken  place;  the  obstruction  through  which 
we  cut  a  channel  has  entirely  broken  up.  Large  rafts  of  about 
two  acres  each  have  drifted  asunder,  and  have  floated  to  the  end 
of  the  lake.  It  is  thus  impossible  to  predict  what  the  future  may 
effect.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  whole  of  this  country  was 
at  some  former  period  a  lake,  which  has  gradually  filled  up  with 
vegetation.  The  dry  land,  which  is  only  exposed  during  the 
hot  season,  is  the  result  of  the  decay  of  vegetable  matter.  The 
ashes  of  the  grass  that  is  annually  burned  by  degrees  form  a  soil. 
We  are  even  now  witnessing  the  operation  that  has  formed,  and 
is  still  increasing,  the  vast  tract  of  alluvial  soil  through  which 
we  have  passed.    There  is  not  a  stone,  nor  even  a  small  peb- 


54 


ISMAILlA. 


ble,  for  a  distance  of  two  hundred  miles.  The  country  is  simply 
mud. 

"April  9. — Passed  the  old  channel  at  11.45  A.M.,  after  much 
labor,  and  we  found  the  long  five-mile  cutting  pretty  clear,  with 
the  exception  of  two  or  three  small  obstructions.  At  5.30  P.M. 
we  reached  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  from  which  extremely  narrow  chan- 
nel we  had  first  commenced  our  difficult  work  of  cutting  through 
many  miles  of  country. 

"  Who  could  believe  the  change?  Some  evil  spirit  appears  to 
rule  in  this  horrible  region  of  everlasting  swamp.  A  wave  of 
the  demon's  wand,  and  an  incredible  change  appears !  The  nar- 
row and  choked  Bahr  Giraffe  has  disappeared;  instead  of  which, 
a  river  of  a  hundred  yards'  width  of  clear  running  water  meets 
us  at  the  junction  of  our  cutting.  As  far  as  the  eye  can  reach 
to  the  E.S.E.,  there  is  a  succession  of  large  open  sheets  of  water 
where  a  few  days  ago  we  saw  nothing  but  a  boundless  plain  of 
marsh  grass,  without  one  drop  of  water  visible.  These  sheets  of 
water  mark  the  course  of  a  river,  but  each  lake  is  separated  by  a 
dam  of  floating  vegetation.  The  volume  of  water  is  very  impor- 
tant, and  a  stream  is  running  at  the  rate  of  three  miles  an  hour. 
Nevertheless,  although  in  open  water,  we  now  find  ourselves 
prisoners  in  a  species  of  lake,  as  we  are  completely  shut  in  by 
a  serious  dam  of  dense  rafts  of  vegetation  that  have  been  borne 
forward  and  tightly  compressed  by  the  great  force  of  this  new 
river.  It  is  simply  ridiculous  to  suppose  that  this  river  can 
ever  be  rendered  navigable.  One  or  two  vessels,  if  alone,  would 
be  utterly  helpless,  and  might  be  entirely  destroyed,  with  their 
crews,  by  a  sudden  change  that  might  break  up  the  country  and 
inclose  them  in  a  trap  from  which  they  could  never  escape. 

"We  passed  the  night  at  anchor.  Many  hippopotami  are 
snorting  and  splashing  in  the  new  lakes. 

"April  10. — After  a  hard  day's  labor,  a  portion  of  the  fleet 
succeeded  in  cutting  through  the  most  serious  dam,  and  we  de- 
scended our  old  river  to  the  dubba,  or  dry  mound,  where  we  had 
first  discovered  vestiges  of  the  traders.  The  No.  10  steamer  ar- 
rived in  the  evening.  The  river  is  wider  than  when  we  last  saw 
it,  but  is  much  obstructed  by  small  islands,  formed  of  rafts  of 
vegetation  that  have  grounded  in  their  descent.  I  fear  we  may 
find  the  river  choked  in  many  places  below  stream.  No  de- 
pendence can  ever  be  placed  upon  this  accursed  river.  The 
fabulous  Styx  must  be  a  sweet  rippling  brook,  compared  to  this 
horrible  creation.  A  violent  wind  acting  upon  the  high  waving 
mass  of  sugar-cane  grass  may  suddenly  create  a  change.  Some- 


FALLING  OF  THE  EIYEIi. 


55 


times  large  masses  are  detached  by  the  gambols  of  a  herd  of 
hippopotami,  whose  rude  rambles  during  the  night  break  narrow 
lanes  through  the  floating  plains  of  water-grass,  through  which 
the  action  of  the  stream  may  tear  large  masses  from  the  main 
body. 

"The  water  being  pent  up  by  enormous  dams  of  vegetation, 
mixed  with  mud  and  half-decayed  matter,  forms  a  chain  of  lakes 
at  slightly-varying  levels.  The  sudden  breaking  of  one  dam 
would  thus  cause  an  impetuous  rush  of  stream  that  might  tear 
away  miles  of  country,  and  entirely  change  the  equilibrium  of 
the  floating  masses. 

"April  11. — I  sent  a  sailing-vessel  ahead  to  examine  the  river, 
with  orders  that  she  should  dip  her  ensign  in  case  she  met  with 
an  obstruction.  Thank  God,  all  is  clear.  I  therefore  ordered 
the  steamers  to  remount  their  paddles. 

"  We  started  at  10  p.m. 

"April  12.— At  11.30  p.m.  we  met  five  of  Ghatta's*  boats 
bound  for  the  White  Nile.  These  people  declared  their  inten- 
tion of  returning  when  they  heard  the  deplorable  account  of 
the  river. 

"At  2  a.m.  we  arrived  at  our  old  position,  close  to  our  former 
wood  station  in  the  forest. 

"April  13. — Started  at  11.30  a.m.  The  river  has  fallen  three 
feet  since  we  were  here,  and  the  country  is  now  dry.  Mr.  Baker 
and  I  therefore  walked  a  portion  of  the  way  upon  the  banks  as 
the  diahbeeah  slowly  descended  the  stream.  There  were  great 
numbers  of  wild  fowl;  also  hippopotami;  and  being  provided 
with  both  shot-guns  and  heavy  rifles,  we  made  a  very  curious 
bag  during  the  afternoon  that  in  England  or  Scotland  would 
have  been  difficult  to  carry  home.  We  shot  and  secured  two 
hippopotami,  one  crocodile,  twenty-two  geese,  and  twenty  ducks. 

"At  7  P.M.  we  arrived  at  the  station  of  Kutchuk  Ali.  I  sent 
for  the  vakeel,  or  agent,  commanding  the  company,  to  whom  I 
thoroughly  explained  the  system  and  suppression  of  the  slave- 
trade.  He  seemed  very  incredulous  that  it  would  actually  be 
enforced;  but  I  recommended  him  not  to  make  the  experiment 
of  sending  cargoes  of  slaves  down  to  Khartoum  as  he  had  done 
in  previous  years.  He  appeared  to  be  very  confident  that  be- 
cause his  employer,  Kutchuk  Ali,  had  been  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  sandjak,  with  the  command  of  a  government  expedition,  no 
inquiry  would  be  made  concerning  the  acts  of  his  people.  .  No 


*  One  of  the  principal  Khartoum  ivory  and  slave  traders. 


56 


ISMAILlA. 


greater  proof  could  be  given  of  the  insincerity  of  the  Soudan  au- 
thorities in  professing  to  suppress  the  slave-trade  than  the  fact 
that  DjiafFer  Pasha,  the  governor  -  general  of  the  Soudan,  had 
^iven  the  command  of  an  expedition  to  this  same  Kutchuk  Ali, 
who  was  known  as  one  of  the  principal  slave-traders  of  the 
White  Nile. 

"April  14. — One  of  my  black  soldiers  deserted,  but  was  cap- 
tured. We  also  caught  a  sailor  who  had  deserted  to  the  slave- 
hunters  during  our  passage  up  the  river;  but  as  we  returned  un- 
expectedly, he  was  discovered.  The  colonel,  Raouf  Bey,  report- 
ed this  morning  that  several  officers  and  soldiers  had  actually 
purchased  slaves  to-day  from  Kutchuk  Ali's  station;  thus  the 
Khedive's  troops,  who  are  emplo^yed  under  my  command  to  sup- 
press the  slave-trade,  would  quickly  convert  the  expedition  into 
a  slave-market.  I  at  once  ordered  the  slaves  to  be  returned,  and 
issued  stringent  instructions  to  the  officers. 

"I  saw  this  afternoon  a  number  of  newly-captured  slave  wom- 
en and  girls  fetching  water  under  the  guard  of  a  scoundrel  with 
a  loaded  musket.  I  know  that  the  station  is  full  of  slaves ;  but 
there  is  much  diplomacy  necessary,  and  at  present  I  do  not  in- 
tend to  visit  their  camp. 

"April  15. — To  prevent  further  desertions,  it  was  necessary  to 
offer  an  example  to  the  troops.  I  therefore  condemned  the  de- 
serter who  was  captured  yesterday  to  be  shot  at  noon. 

"At  the  bugle-call,  the  troops  mustered  on  parade  in  full  uni- 
form. The  prisoner,  in  irons,  was  brought  forward  and  marched 
round  the  hollow  square,  accompanied  by  muffled  drums. 

"The  sentence  havins;  been  declared,  after  a  short  address  to 
the  men,  the  prisoner  was  led  out,  and  the  firing-party  advanced. 
He  was  a  fine  young  man  of  about  twenty  years  of  age,  a  native 
of  Pongo,  who  had  been  taken  as  a  slave,  and  had  become  a 
soldier  against  his  will. 

"There  was  much  allowance  for  desertion  under  the  circum- 
stances, and  I  was  moved  by  the  manly  way  in  which  he  pre- 
pared for  death.  He  cast  his  eyes  around,  but  he  found  neither 
sympathy  nor  friends  in  the  hard  features  of  the  officers  and  men. 
The  slave-trader's  people  had  turned  out  in  great  numbers,  dressed 
in  their  best  clothes,  to  enjoy  the  fun  of  a  military  execution.  The 
firing-party  was  ready ;  the  prisoner  knelt  down  with  his  back 
toward  them,  at  about  five  paces  distant.  At  that  moment  he 
turned  his  face,  with  a  beseeching  expression,  toward  me;  but  he 
was  ordered  immediately  to  look  straight  before  him. 

"  The  order,  '  Present !'  was  given,  and  the  sharp  clicking  of 


NECESSITY  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


57 


the  locks,  as  the  muskets  were  brought  on  full  cock  and  present- 
ed, left  but  another  moment  

"At  that  instant  I  ordered  the  firing-party  to  retire,  and  I  sum- 
moned the  prisoner,  who  was  brought  up  in  charge  of  the  guard. 
In  the  presence  of  all  the  troops  I  then  explained  to  him  the  ne- 
cessity of  strict  discipline,  and  that  the  punishment  of  death  must 
certainly  follow  desertion ;  at  the  same  time  I  made  such  allow- 
ance for  his  youth  and  ignorance  that  I  determined  to  reduce  the 
punishment  to  that  of  flogging,  wljich  I  trusted  would  be  a  warn- 
ing to  him  and  all  others.  I  assured  him,  and  the  troops  gen- 
erally, that  although  I  should  never  flinch  from  administering 
severe  punishment  when  necessary,  I  should  be  much  happier  in 
rewarding  those  who  should  do  their  duty.  The  prisoner  was 
flogged  and  kept  in  irons.  The  troops  formed  into  sections  of 
companies  and  marched  past,  with  band  playing,  each  company 
cheering  as  they  passed  before  me;  but  the  crowd  of  slave-hunt- 
ers slunk  back  to  their  station,  disappointed  that  no  blood  had 
been  spilled  for  their  amusement.* 

"No  person  except  Lieutenant  Baker  and  the  colonel,  Raouf 
Bey,  had  been  in  the  secret  that  /  had  never  intended  to  shoot  the 
man.  I  had  merely  arranged  an  impressive  scene  as  a  coup  de 
theatre,  that  I  trusted  might  benefit  the  morale  of  the  men. 

"We  were  now  in  the  fine  clear  stream  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe, 
which,  having  received  numerous  affluents  from  the  marsh  re- 
gions, was  united  in  one  volume.  We  got  up  steam  and  started 
at  4.30  p.m.,  and  the  diahbeeah,  towed  by  the  steamer  down 
stream,  traveled  at  about  nine  miles  an  hour  until  8  a.m.,  making 
a  run  of  one  hundred  and  twenty -five  miles. 

"  We  then  stopped  at  a  large  forest  on  the  west  bank  to  cut 
wood  for  the  steamer. 

"April  16. — Went  out  shooting  with  Mr.  Baker,  and  shot  two 
Ellipsyprymna  antelopes.  The  country  is  beautiful,  but  game  is 
scarce.  The  forest  is  much  broken  by  elephants,  which  appear 
to  frequent  it  during  the  wet  season.  These  animals  are  very 
useful  in  preparing  wood  for  the  steamers'  fires.  They  break 
down  the  green  trees,  which  thus  dry,  and  become  good  fuel. 
Were  it  not  for  the  elephants,  we  should  only  find  dead-wood, 
which  is  nearly  all  either  hollow  or  rotten,  and  of  little  use  as 
fire-wood.    To-day  we  met  four  vessels  from  Khartoum  that  had 

*  It  was  satisfactory  to  me  that  this  young  man,  who  was  pardoned  and  punished 
as  described,  became  one  of  the  best  and  most  thorougbly  trustworthy  soldiers  of  my 
body-guard  ;  and  having  at  length  been  raised  to  the  rank  of  corporal,  he  was  at  the 
close  of  the  expedition  promoted  to  that  of  sergeant.    His  name  was  Ferritch  Ajoke. 


58 


ISMAILlA. 


followed  me  with  a  re -enforcement  of  one  company  of  troops, 
with  letters  from  Djiaffer  Pasha  and  Mr.  Higginbotham. 

"April  17. — We  steamed  about  thirty -seven  miles,  and  then 
halted  at  a  good  forest  to  fill  up  our  supply  of  wood.  The  forest 
on  the  left  bank  is  about  thirty-seven  miles  in  length ;  but  it  is 
merely  a  few  hundred  yards  in  width,  beyond  which  the  country 
is  prairie.  On  the  east  bank,  where  there  is  no  forest,  we  saw 
giraffes,  buffaloes,  and  antelopes  in  considerable  numbers  during 
the  day. 

"April  18. — Filling  up  wrood  in  the  morning.  We  then  trav- 
eled three  hours,  and  halted  eleven  miles  from  the  White  Nile 
junction.  During  the  voyage  we  saw  a  lion  and  lioness,  with 
five  cubs,  running  off  alarmed  at  the  steamer. 

"In  the  afternoon  I  went  out  and  shot  seven  geese  and  two 
fine  black  bucks. 

"Lieutenant  Baker  was  unfortunately  ill  with  fever.  Here  we 
met  four  more  vessels,  with  a  company  of  soldiers  from  Khar- 
toum.   They  of  course  remained  with  us. 

"April  19. — In  an  hour  and  a  half  we  arrived  at  the  White 
Nile,  and  twenty  minutes  later  we  saw  three  vessels  belonging  to 
the  mudir,  or  governor,  of  Fashoda.  We  heard  from  the  people 
on  these  boats  that  the  governor  (Ali  Bey,  the  Koordi,)  was  mak- 
ing a  razzia  on  the  Shillook  tribe.  The  banks  of  the  river  were 
crowded  with  natives  running  away  in  all  directions;  women 
were  carrying  off  all  their  little  household  goods,  and  children 
were  following  their  parents,  each  with  a  basket  on  their  heads 
containing  either  food  or  something  too  valuable  to  be  left  be- 
hind.  I  immediately  went  off  in  a  rowing-boat,  and,  after  much 
difficulty,  I  succeeded  in  inducing  some  of  the  natives  who  could 
speak  Arabic  to  stop  and  converse  with  me.  They  declared  that 
the  Turks  had  attacked  them  without  provocation,  and  that  the 
Koordi  (as  the  Governor  of  Fashoda  was  called)  had  stolen  many 
of  their  women  and  children,  and  had  killed  their  people,  as  he 
was  generally  plundering  the  country.  I  begged  the  natives  not 
to  fly  from  their  district,  but  to  wait  until  I  should  make  inquiries 
on  the  following  day;  and  I  promised  to  restore  the  women  and 
children,  should  they  have  been  kidnaped. 

"I  halted  at  a  forest  about  nine  miles  from  the  junction  of  the 
Bahr  Giraffe,  where  a  bend  of  the  river  concealed  the  steamers 
and  diahbeeah. 

"Late  at  night,  when  most  people  were  asleep,  I  sent  orders  to 
the  chief  engineer  of  the  No.  10  steamer  to  have  the  steam  up  at 
five  on  the  following  morning. 


A  SUBPBISE. 


59 


u April  20. — We  started  punctually  at  the  appointed  hour;  my 
diahbeeah,  as  usual,  being  towed  by  the  steamer.  As  we  rounded 
the  point  and  quickly  came  in  sight  of  the  governor's  vessels,  I 
watched  them  with  a  powerful  telescope.  For  some  time  we  ap- 
peared to  be  unobserved.  I  knew  that  the  troops  were  not  cele- 
brated for  keeping  a  sharp  lookout,  and  we  arrived  within  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  before  the  sound  of  our  paddles  attracted  their 
attention.  The  telescope  now  disclosed  some  of  the  mysteries 
of  the  expedition.  I  perceived  a  considerable  excitement  among 
the  troops  on  shore.  I  made  out  one  tent,  and  I  distinguished 
men  hurrying  to  and  fro  apparently  busy  and  excited.  During 
this  time  we  were  rapidly  approaching;  and,  as  the  distance  less- 
ened, I  could  distinctly  see  a  number  of  people  being  driven  from 
the  shore  on  board  a  vessel  that  was  lying  alongside  the  bank. 
I  felt  convinced  that  these  were  slaves,  as  I  could  distinguish 
the  difference  in  size  between  the  children  and  adults.  In  the 
mean  time  we  were  traveling  at  full  speed  (about  eight  miles  an 
hour)  in  the  broad  but  slack  current  of  that  portion  of  the  White 
Nile. 

"At  6.35  we  ranged  up  alongside  the  bank  opposite  the  tent 
which  belonged  to  the  Koordi  governor  of  Fashoda.  We  had 
passed  close  to  the  three  vessels,  but  no  person  was  visible  except 
their  crews.  My  arrival  was  evidently  quite  unexpected,  and  not 
very  agreeable. 

"The  governor  shortly  appeared,  and  was  invited  on  the  poop 
deck  of  my  diahbeeah.  This  was  always  furnished  with  carpets 
and  sofas,  so  as  to  form  a  divan. 

"After  a  pipe  and  coffee,  I  commenced  the  conversation  by 
describing  the  impossibility  of  an  advance  at  this  season  via  the 
Bahr  Giraffe,  therefore  I  found  it  necessary  to  return.  He  sim- 
ply replied, ' God  is  great!  and,  please  God,  you  will  succeed  next 
year.' 

"  I  now  asked  him  how  many  troops  he  had  with  him,  as  I 
noticed  two  brass  guns,  a  number  of  irregular  cavalry,  in  addition 
to  some  companies  of  infantry.  He  replied  that  he  had  five  com- 
panies, in  addition  to  the  cavalry  and  mounted  Baggara  Arabs, 
and  that  he  was  'collecting  the  taxes.' 

"I  begged  him  to  explain  to  me  his  system  of  taxation,  and 
to  inform  me  whether  he  had  established  a  poll-tax  or  a  house- 
tax,  or  in  what  special  form  the  taxes  were  represented.  This 
seemed  to  be  a  great  puzzle  to  the  mind  of  the  governor,  and, 
after  applying  to  my  colonel,  to  whom  he  spoke  in  Turkish,  he 
replied  that  the  people  were  very  averse  to  taxation ;  therefore 


(ill 


ISMAILlA. 


he  made  one  annual  tour  throughout  the  country,  and  collected 
what  he  thought  just. 

"  I  asked  him  whether  he  captured  women  and  children  m  the 
same  way  in  which  he  annexed  the  natives'  cattle.  To  this 
question  he  replied  by  a  distinct  negative,  at  the  same  time  as- 
suming an  expression  of  horror  at  such  an  idea. 

"I  immediately  ordered  my  aid-de-camp,  Lieutenant -colonel 
Abd-el-Kader,  to  visit  the  vessels  that  were  lying  a  few  yards 
astern.  This  was  a  very  excellent  and  trustworthy  officer,  and 
he  immediately  started  upon  an  examination.  In  the  mean  while 
the  Koordi  governor  sat  rigidly  upon  the  sofa,  puffing  away  at 
his  long  pipe,  but  evidently  thinking  that  the  affair  would  not 
end  in  simple  smoke. 

"In  a  few  minutes  I  heard  the  voice  of  my  colonel  angrily 
expostulating  with  the  crew  of  the  vessel,  who  had  denied  that 
any  slaves  were  on  board.  Almost  at  the  same  time  a  crowd  of 
unfortunate  captives  emerged  from  below,  where  they  had  been 
concealed,  and  walked  singly  along  the  plank  to  the  shore,  being 
counted  by  the  officer  according  to  sex  as  they  disembarked. 
The  Koordi  governor  looked  uncomfortable,  as  this  happened  be- 
fore our  eyes.  I  made  no  remark,  but  simply  expressed  a  wish 
to  walk  round  his  encampment 

"Having  passed  through  the  place  of  bivouac,  where  the  foul- 
est smells  attacked  us  from  all  sides,  I  thoroughly  examined  the 
spot,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker  and  a  few  officers  of  my 
staff.  There  was  no  military  order,  but  the  place  was  occupied 
by  a  crowd  of  soldiers,  mingled  with  many  native  allies,  under 
the  command  of  an  extremely  blackguard-looking  savage,  dress- 
ed in  a  long  scarlet  cloak  made  of  woolen  cloth.  This  was 
belted  round  his  waist,  to  which  was  suspended  a  crooked  Turk- 
ish sabre.  He  wore  a  large  brass  medal  upon  his  breast,  which 
somewhat  resembled  those  ornaments  that  undertakers  use  for 
giving  a  lively  appearance  to  coffins.  This  fellow  was  intro- 
duced to  me  by  the  Koordi  as  the  'king  of  the  Shillooks.' 

"  In  the  rear  of  the  party,  to  which  spot  I  had  penetrated 
while  the  Koordi  was  engaged  in  giving  orders  to  certain  officers, 
I  came  suddenly  upon  a  mass  of  slaves,  who  were  squatted  upon 
the  ground,  and  surrounded  by  dirty  clothes,  arranged  like  a 
fence,  by  the  support  of  lances,  pieces  of  stick,  camel  saddles, 
etc.  These  people  were  guarded  by  a  number  of  soldiers,  who 
at  first  seemed  to  think  that  my  visit  was  one  of  simple  curiosity. 

"Many  of  the  women  were  secured  to  each  other  by  ropes 
passed  from  neck  to  neck.    A  crowd  of  children,  including  very 


EXTRAORDINARY  TAXATION. 


01 


young  infants,  squatted  among  the  mass,  and  all  kept  a  profound 
silence,  and  regarded  me  with  great  curiosity.  Having  sent  for 
my  note-book,  I  divided  the  slaves  into  classes,  and  counted  them 
as  follows : 

Concealed  in  the  boat  we  had  discovered   71 

Those  on  shore,  guarded  by  sentries,  were   84 

Total   155 

including  sixty -five  girls  and  women,  eighty  children,  and  ten 
men.  The  Governor  of  Fashoda,  whom  I  thus  had  caught  in  the 
act  of  kidnaping  slaves,  was  the  person  who,  a  few  weeks  before, 
had  assured  me  that  the  slave-trade  was  suppressed,  as  the  traders 
dared  not  pass  his  station  of  Fashoda.  The  real  fact  was,  that 
this  excellent  example  of  the  Soudan  made  a  considerable  for- 
tune by  levying  a  toll  upon  every  slave  which  the  traders'  boats 
brought  down  the  river;  this  he  put  into  his  own  pocket. 

"I  immediately  informed  him  that  I  should  report  him  to  the 
Khedive;  at  the  same  time  I  insisted  upon  the  liberation  of 
every  slave. 

"At  first  he  questioned  my  authority,  saying  that  he  held  the 
rank  of  bey,  and  was  governor  of  the  district.  I  simply  told  him 
that  'if  he  refused  to  liberate  the  slaves,  he  must  give  me  that  re- 
fusal in  writing.'  This  was  an  awkward  fix,  and  he  altered  his 
tone  by  attempting  to  explain  that  they  were  not  slaves,  but  only 
held  as  hostages  until  the  people  should  pay  their  taxes.  At  the 
same  time  he  was  obliged  to  confess  that  there  was  no  establish- 
ed tax.  I  heard  that  he  had  received  from  one  native  ten  cows 
for  the  ransom  of  his  child:  thus  the  stolen  child  was  sold  back 
to  the  father  for  ten  cows;  and  this  was  the  Soudan  method  of 
collecting  taxes!  If  the  unfortunate  father  had  been  shot  dead 
in  the  razzia,  his  unransomed  child  would  have  been  carried 
away  and  sold  as  a  slave ;  or  should  the  panic-stricken  natives 
be  afraid  to  approach  with  a  ransom  for  fear  of  being  kidnaped 
themselves,  the  women  and  children  would  be  lost  to  them  for- 
ever. 

"I  was  thoroughly  disgusted.  I  knew  that  what  I  had  hap- 
pened to  discover  was  the  rule  of  the  Soudan,  and  that  the  prot- 
estations of  innocence  of  governors  was  simply  dust  thrown  into 
the  eyes.  It  was  true  that  the  Shillook  country  was  not  in  my 
jurisdiction ;  but  I  was  determined  to  interfere  in  behalf  of  the 
slaves,  although  I  should  not  meddle  with  the  general  affairs  of 
the  country.  I  therefore  told  the  Koordi  that  I  had  the  list  of 
the  captives,  and  he  must  send  for  some  responsible  native  to  re- 


62 


ISMAILlA. 


ceive  them  and  take  them  to  their  homes.  In  the  mean  time  I 
should  remain  in  the  neighborhood.  I  then  returned  to  the  fleet 
that  I  had  left  at  the  forest.  In  the  evening  we  were  joined  by 
most  of  the  rear  vessels. 

"April  21. — At  9.30  a.m.  we  sighted  eleven  vessels  in  full  sail 
approaching  from  Khartoum,  with  a  strong  north-east  wind,  and 
shortly  afterward  we  were  delighted  by  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Higgin- 
botham,  Dr.  Gedge,  and  the  six  English  engineers,  shipwrights, 
etc.,  all  in  good  health. 

"April  22. — I  paid  a  visit  to  the  Koordi's  camp,  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Baker  and  Mr.  Higginbotham,  as  I  wished  to  have  Euro- 
pean witnesses  to  the  fact.  Upon  arrival,  I  explained  to  the  gov- 
ernor that  he  had  compromised  the  Egyptian  Government  by  his 
act;  and  as  I  had  received  general  instructions  from  the  Khedive 
to  suppress  all  slave-hunters,  I  could  only  regard  him  in  that 
category,  as  I  had  actually  found  him  in  the  act.  I  must,  there- 
fore, insist  upon  the  immediate  and  unconditional  release  of  all 
the  slaves.  After  an  attempt  at  evasion,  he  consented,  and  I  at 
once  determined  to  liberate  them  personally,  which  would  estab- 
lish confidence  among  the  natives. 

"Accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker  and  Mr.  Higginbotham, 
and  the  various  officers  of  the  staff,  I  ordered  the  ropes,  irons,  and 
other  accompaniments  of  slavery  to  be  detached;  and  I  explain- 
ed, through  an  interpreter,  to  the  astonished  crowd  of  captives 
that  the  Khedive  had  abolished  slavery,  therefore  they  were  at 
liberty  to  return  to  their  own  homes.  At  first  they  appeared  as- 
tounded, and  evidently  could  not  realize  the  fact;  but  upon  my 
asking  them  where  their  homes  were,  they  pointed  to  the  bound- 
less rows  of  villages  in  the  distance,  and  said,  'Those  are  our 
homes;  but  many  of  our  men  are  killed,  and  all  our  cattle  and 
corn  are  carried  off.'  I  could  only  advise  them  to  pack  off  as 
quickly  as  possible,  now  that  they  had  the  chance  of  freedom. 

"  The  women  immediately  took  up  their  little  infants  (one  had 
been  born  during  the  night);  others  led  the  very  small  children 
by  the  hand;  and,  with  a  general  concert,  they  burst  into  the 
long,  quavering,  and  shrill  yell  that  denotes  rejoicing.  I  watched 
them  as  they  retreated  over  the  plain  to  their  deserted  homes, 
and  I  took  a  coldly  polite  farewell  of  the  Koordi.  The  looks 
of  astonishment  of  the  Koordi's  troops  as  I  passed  through  their 
camp  was  almost  comic.  I  shall  report  this  affair  to  the  Khedive 
direct;  but  I  feel  sure  that  the  exposure  of  the  Governor  of  Fa- 
shoda  will  not  add  to  the  popularity  of  the  expedition  among 
the  lower  officials. 


BREAK- DOWN  OF  STEAMER. 


63 


"April  23. — I  started  with  two  steamers  and  two  diabbeeahs 
to  explore  a  favorable  spot  for  a  permanent  station.  We  reaehed 
the  Sobat  junction  in  three  hours  and  a  quarter — about  twenty- 
five  miles.  From  the  Sobat,  down  stream,  we  steamed  for  forty 
minutes,  arriving  at  a  forest  on  a  high  bank  to  the  east,  where 
some  extraordinary  high-dome  palms  (Palma  Thebaica),  together 
with  dolape-palms  (Borassus  Mhiopicus),  gave  an  air  of  tropical 
beauty  to  a  desolate  and  otherwise  uninviting  spot. 

"  I  fixed  upon  this  place  for  a  station,  as  the  ground  was  hard, 
the  position  far  above  the  level  of  high  floods,  and  the  forest  af- 
forded a  supply  of  wood  for  building  purposes  and  for  fuel. 

" 'April  24. — We  steamed  for  half  an  hour  down  stream  to  a 
large  village  on  the  west  bank,  named  Wat-a-jook.  Thence  I 
went  down  stream  for  one  hour  to  the  large  grove  of  dolape-palms 
and  gigantic  india-rubber  trees.  This  was  formerly  a  large  vil- 
lage, known  as  Hillet-ei-dolape,  but  it  has  been  entirely  destroyed 
by  the  Governor  of  Fashoda.  After  much  difficulty,  I  induced 
some  natives  to  come  to  me,  with  whom  I  at  length  made  friends. 
They  all  joined  in  accusing  the  Koordi  governor  of  wanton  atroc- 
ities. 

"In  the  afternoon,  not  having  discovered  a  spot  superior  to 
that  I  had  already  selected  for  a  station,  we  returned ;  but  we 
had  not  traveled  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half  when  the  engine 
of  the  No.  10  steamer  broke  down.  On  examination,  it  appeared 
that  the  air-pump  was  broken.  Fortunately  the  accident  oc- 
curred close  to  the  spot  selected  for  a  station. 

" April  25. — At  12.30  p.m.  I  sent  back  the  No.  8  steamer  to  call 
the  fleet  to  the  station.  I  soon  made  friends  with  the  natives, 
great  numbers  of  whom  congregated  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
river.  All  these  people  had  heard  that  I  had  liberated  the 
women  and  children. 

" April  26. — The  steamer  and  entire  fleet  arrived  in  the  after- 
noon. 

"  The  natives  brought  a  bullock  and  a  Pongo  slave  as  a  present 
from  their  chief.  I  freed  the  slave,  and  sent  a  piece  of  cloth  as 
an  introduction  to  the  chief. 

"April  27. — This  was  a  busy  day — passed  in  measuring  out 
the  camp.  I  set  several  companies  at  work  to  fell  the  forest,  and 
to  prepare  timber  for  building. 

"April  28. — Pouring  rain.    No  work  possible. 

"April  29. — The  Englishmen  set  up  their  forge  and  anvil,  and 
we  commenced  unloading  corrugated  iron  sheets  to  form  our 
magazines.    Fortunately  I  had  a  number  of  wall-plates,  rafters, 


64 


ISMAILlA. 


etc.,  that  I  had  brought  from  Egypt  for  this  purpose,  as  there  is 
no  straight  wood  in  the  country. 

"  The  sheik,  or  head,  of  the  Shillook  tribe  sent  envoys,  with  a 
present  of  four  bullocks  and  two  small  tusks,  with  a  message  that 
he  wished  to  see  me,  but  he  was  afraid  to  come.  I  accordingly 
sent  the  messengers  back  in  the  No.  8  steamer,  with  ten  soldiers, 
as  an  escort  to  bring  him  to  my  station. 

"April  30. — We  commenced  erecting  the  iron  magazines.  Lieu- 
tenant Baker,  Mr.  Higginbotham,  and  the  Englishmen  all  actively 
employed,  while  Kaouf  Bey  and  his  officers,  instead  of  attending 
to  the  pressing  work  of  forming  the  permanent  camp,  sit  under  a 
tree,  and  smoke  and  drink  coffee  throughout  the  day. 

"The  artillerymen  are  nearly  all  ill;  likewise  many  of  the 
Egyptian  regiment;  while  the  black  troops  are  well  and  in  excel- 
lent spirits.  There  is  no  doubt  that  for  this  service  the  blacks 
are  very  superior  to  the  Egyptians.  These  are  full  of  religious 
prejudices,  combined  with  extreme  ignorance,  and  they  fall  sick 
when  deprived  of  the  vegetable  diet  to  which  they  are  accus- 
tomed in  Egypt. 

"In  the  evening  the  steamer  returned  with  the  true  Shillook 
king,  accompanied  by  two  of  his  wives,  four  daughters,  and  a 
retinue  of  about  seventy  people/' 


A  VISIT  FROM  QUAT  RARE. 


G5 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  CAMP  AT  TE WFIKEE YAH. 

'"May  1. — The  camp  is  beginning  to  look  civilized.  Already 
the  under- wood  has  been  cleared,  and  the  large  trees  which  bor- 
der the  river  have  their  separate  proprietors.  There  is  no  home 
like  a  shady  tree  in  a  tropical  climate ;  here  we  are  fortunate  in 
having  the  finest  mimosas,  which  form  a  cool  screen.  I  have  ap- 
portioned the  finest  trees  among  the  higher  officers.  The  English 
quarter  of  the  camp  is  already  arranged,  and  the  whole  force  is 
under  canvas.  A  few  days  ago  this  was  a  wilderness ;  now  there 
are  some  hundred  new  tents  arranged  in  perfect  straight  rows, 
so  as  to  form  streets.  This  extensive  plot  of  white  tents,  occupy- 
ing a  frontage  of  four  hundred  yards,  and  backed  by  the  bright 
green  forest,  looks  very  imposing  from  the  river. 

"The  English  quarter  was  swept  clean;  and  as  the  surface  soil 
on  the  margin  of  the  river  was  a  hard  white  sand,  the  place  quick- 
ly assumed  a  neat  and  homely  appearance.  I  had  a  sofa,  a  few 
chairs,  and  a  carpet  arranged  beneath  a  beautiful  shady  mimosa, 
where  I  waited  the  arrival  of  the  true  king  of  the  Shillooks — 
Quat  Kare. 

"In  a  few  minutes  he  was  introduced  by  an  aid-de-camp, 
accompanied  by  two  wives,  four  daughters,  and  a  large  retinue. 
Like  all  the  Shillooks,  he  was  very  tall  and  thin.  As  his  ward- 
robe looked  scanty  and  old,  I  at  once  gave  him  a  long  blue  shirt 
which  nearly  reached  to  his  ankles,  together  with  a  long  Indian 
red  scarf  to  wear  as  a  waistband.  When  thus  attired,  I  present- 
ed him  with  a  tarboosh  (fez),  all  of  which  presents  he  received 
without  a  smile  or  the  slightest  acknowledgment.  When  dress- 
ed, with  the  assistance  of  two  or  three  of  the  soldiers  who  had 
volunteered  to  act  as  valets,  he  sat  down  on  the  carpet,  upon 
which  he  invited  his  family  to  sit  near  him.  There  was  a  pro- 
found silence.  The  king  appeared  to  have  no  power  of  speech; 
lie  simply  fixed  his  eyes  upon  myself  and  my  wife;  then  slowly 
turned  them  upon  Lieutenant  Baker  and  the  officers  in  attend- 
ance.   The  crowd  was  perfectly  silent. 

"I  was  obliged  to  commence  the  conversation  by  asking  him 
'whether  he  was  really  Quat  Kare,  the  old  king  of  the  Shillooks, 
as  I  had  heard  his  death  reported.' 

6 


66 


ISMAILlA. 


"Instead  of  replying,  he  conferred  with  one  of  his  wives,  a 
woman  of  about  sixty,  who  appeared  to  act  as  prime  minister 
and  adviser.  This  old  lady  immediately  took  up  the  discourse, 
and  very  deliberately  related  the  intrigues  of  the  Koordi  govern- 
or of  Fashoda,  which  had  ended  in  the  ruin  of  her  husband.  It 
appeared  that  the  Koordi  did  not  wish  that  peace  should  reign 
throughout  the  land.  The  Shillooks  were  a  powerful  tribe, 
numbering  upward  of  a  million ;  therefore  it  was  advisable  to 
sow  dissension  among  them,  and  thus  destroy  their  unity.  Quat 
Kare  was  a  powerful  king,  who  had  ruled  the  country  for  more 
than  fifty  years.  He  was  the  direct  descendant  of  a  long  line  of 
kings;  therefore  he  was  a  man  whose  influence  was  to  be  dread- 
ed. The  policy  of  the  Koordi  determined  that  he  would  over- 
throw the  power  of  Quat  Kare;  and  after  having  vainly  laid 
snares  for  his  capture,  the  old  king  fled  from  the  Governor  of 
Fashoda  as  David  fled  from  Saul  and  hid  in  the  cave  of  Adullam. 
The  Koordi  was  clever  and  cunning  in  intrigue;  thus  he  wrote 
to  DjiafTer  Pasha,  the  governor-general  of  the  Soudan,  and  de- 
clared that  Quat  Kare,  the  king  of  the  Shillooks,  was  dead.  It 
was  therefore  necessary  to  elect  the  next  heir,  Jangy,  for  whom 
he  requested  the  firman  of  the  Khedive.  The  firman  of  the 
Khedive  arrived  in  due  course  for  the  pretender  Jangy,  who 
was  a  distant  connection  of  Quat  Kare,  and  in  no  way  entitled  to 
the  succession.  This  intrigue  threw  the  country  into  confusion. 
Jangy  was  proclaimed  king  by  the  Koordi,  and  was  dressed  in 
a  scarlet  robe,  with  belt  and  sabre.  The  pretender  got  together 
a  large  band  of  adherents,  who  were  ready  for  any  adventure 
that  might  yield  them  plunder.  These  natives,  who  knew  the 
paths  and  the  places  where  the  vast  herds  of  cattle  were  conceal- 
ed, acted  as  guides  to  the  Koordi ;  and  the  faithful  adherents  of 
the  old  king,  Quat  Kare,  were  plundered,  oppressed,  and  enslaved 
without  mercy,  until  the  day  that  I  had  fortunately  arrived  in 
the  Shillook  country,  and  caught  the  Koordi  in  the  very  act  of 
kidnaping. 

"I  had  heard  this  story  a  few  days  before,  and  I  was  much 
struck  with  the  clear  and  forcible  manner  in  which  the  old  wife 
described  the  history. 

"Here  we  have  an  average  picture  of  Soudan  rule.  In  a 
country  blessed  with  the  most  productive  soil  and  favorable  cli- 
mate, with  a  population  estimated  at  above  a  million,  the  only 
step  toward  improvement,  after  seven  years  of  Egyptian  rule,  is 
a  system  of  plunder  and  massacre.  Instead  of  peace,  a  series  of 
intrigues  have  thrown  the  country  into  hopeless  anarchy.  With 


A  REGIMENT  OF  EGYPTIAN  CONVICTS. 


67 


a  good  government,  this  fertile  land  might  produce  enormous 
wealth  in  the  cultivation  of  corn  and  cotton.  I  arranged  with 
the  king  that  he  should  wait  patiently,  and  that  I  would  bring 
the  affair  before  the  proper  authority ;  in  the  mean  time  his  peo- 
ple should  return  to  their  villages. 

"After  a  feast  upon  an  ox,  and  the.  entertainment  of  the  mag- 
netic battery  and  the  wheel  of  life,  I  gave  Quat  Kare  and  the 
various  members  of  his  family  an  assortment  of  presents,  and 
sent  them  back  rejoicing  in  the  No.  8  steamer.  I  had  been 
amused  by  the  stoical  countenance  of  the  king  while  undergoing 
a  severe  shock  from  the  battery.  Although  every  muscle  of  his 
arms  was  quivering,  he  never  altered  the  expression  of  his  fea- 
tures. One  of  his  wives  followed  his  example,  and  resisted  a 
shock  with  great  determination ;  and,  after  many  attempts,  she 
succeeded  in  extracting  a  necklace  from  a  basin  of  water  so  high- 
ly charged  that  her  hand  was  completely  cramped  and  paralyzed. 

"I  have  thoroughly  gained  the  confidence  of  the  natives,  as 
vast  herds  of  cattle  are  now  fearlessly  brought  to  graze  on  the 
large  island  opposite  the  camp.  The  natives  assure  me  that  all 
the  male  children  that  may  be  born  this  year  will  be  called  the 
'Pasha,'  in  commemoration  of  the  release  given  to  the  captives. 

"A  soldier  was  caught  this  afternoon  in  the  act  of  stealing  a 
fowl  from  a  native.  I  had  him  flogged,  and  secured  in  irons  for 
five  days.  I  have  determined  upon  the  strictest  discipline,  in 
spite  of  the  old  prejudice.  As  the  greater  portion  of  the  Egyp- 
tian regiment  is  composed  of  felons  convicted  of  offenses  in 
Cairo,  and  transported  to  the  White  Nile,  my  task  is  rather  diffi- 
cult in  establishing  a  reformation.  The  good  taste  of  the  au- 
thorities might  be  questioned  for  supplying  me  with  a  regiment 
of  convicts  to  carry  out  an  enterprise  where  a  high  state  of  dis- 
cipline and  good  conduct  are  essential  to  secure  success." 

I  gave  the  name  Tewfikeeyah*  to  the  new  station,  which  rapid- 
ly grew  into  a  place  of  importance.  It  was  totally  unlike  an 
Egyptian  camp,  as  all  the  lines  were  straight.  Deep  ditches, 
cut  in  every  necessary  direction,  drained  the  station  to  the  river. 
I  made  a  quay,  about  five  hundred  yards  in  length,  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  by  which  the  whole  fleet  could  lie,  and  embark  or 
disembark  cargo.  A  large  stable  contained  the  twenty  horses, 
which  by  great  care  had  kept  their  condition.  It  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  keep  them  in  a  dark  stable  on  account  of  the  flies, 
which  attacked  all  animals  in  swarms.    Even  within  the  darken- 


*  After  the  Khedive's  eldest  son,  Mohammed  Tewfik  Pasha. 


03 


ISMAILlA. 


ed  building  it  was  necessary  to  light  fires  composed  of  dried 
horse-dung,  to  drive  away  these  persecuting  insects.  The  hair 
fell  completely  off  the  ears  and  legs  of  the  donkeys  (which  were 
allowed  to  ramble  about),  owing  to  the  swarms  of  flies  that  irri- 
tated the  skin  ;  but  in  spite  of  the  comparative  comfort  of  a 
stable,  the  donkeys  preferred  a  life  of  outdoor  independence,  and 
fell  off  in  condition  if  confined  to  a  house.  The  worst  flies  were 
the  small  gray  ones  with  a  long  proboscis,  similar  to  those  that 
are  often  seen  in  houses  in  England. 

In  an  incredibly  short  time  the  station  fell  into  shape.  I  con- 
structed three  magazines  of  galvanized  iron,  each  eighty  feet  in 
length,  and  the  head  store  -  keeper,  Mr.  Marcopolo,  at  last  com- 
pleted his  arduous  task  of  storing  the  immense  amount  of  sup- 
plies that  had  been  contained  in  the  fleet  of  vessels. 

This  introduced  us  to  the  White  Nile  rats,  which  volunteered 
their  services  in  thousands,  and  quickly  took  possession  of  the 
magazines  by  tunneling  beneath,  and  appearing  in  the  midst  of 
a  rat's  paradise,  among  thousands  of  bushels  of  rice,  biscuits, 
lentils,  etc.  The  destruction  caused  by  these  animals  was  fright- 
ful. They  gnawed  holes  in  the  sacks,  and  the  contents  poured 
upon  the  ground  like  sand  from  an  hour-glass,  to  be  immediately 
attacked  and  destroyed  by  white  ants.  There  was  no  lime  in 
the  country,  nor  stone  of  any  kind :  thus  it  was  absolutely  im- 
possible to  stop  the  ravages  of  white  ants  except  by  the  constant 
labor  of  turning  over  the  vast  masses  of  boxes  and  stores,  to 
cleanse  them  from  the  earthen  galleries  which  denote  the  pres- 
ence of  the  termites. 

I  had  European  vegetable  seeds  of  all  kinds ;  and  having  clear- 
ed and  grubbed  up  a  portion  of  forest,  we  quickly  established 
gardens.  The  English  quarter  was  particularly  neat.  The  vari- 
ous plots  were  separated  by  fences,  and  the  ground  wTas  under 
cultivation  for  about  two  acres,  extending  to  the  margin  of  the 
river.  I  did  not  build  a  house  for  myself,  as  we  preferred  our 
comfortable  diahbeeah,  which  was  moored  alongside  the  garden, 
from  the  entrance  of  which  a  walk  led  to  a  couple  of  large  shady 
mimosas,  that  formed  my  public  divan,  where  all  visitors  were 
received. 

In  a  short  time  we  had  above-ground  sweet  melons,  water- 
melons, pumpkins,  cabbages,  tomatoes,  cauliflowers,  beet -root, 
parsley,  lettuce,  celery,  etc. ;  but  all  the  pease,  beans,  and  a  very 
choice  selection  of  maize  that  I  had  received  from  England,  were 
destroyed  during  the  voyage.  Against  my  express  orders,  the 
box  had  been  hermetically  sealed,  and  the  vitality  of  the  larger 


ENGINEERS1  WORKSHOPS. 


69 


seeds  was  entirely  gone.  Seeds  should  be  simply  packed  in 
brown  paper  bags,  and  secured  in  a  basket. 

The  neighboring  country  was,  as  usual  in  the  White  Nile  dis- 
tricts, flat  and  uninteresting.  Forest  and  bush  clothed  the  banks 
of  the  river ;  but  this  formed  a  mere  fringe  for  a  depth  of  about 
half  a  mile,  beyond  which  all  was  open  prairie. 

Although  there  was  a  considerable  extent  of  forest,  there  was 
a  dearth  of  useful  timber  for  building  purposes.  The  only  large 
trees  were  a  species  of  mimosa,  named  by  the  Arabs  "  kook." 
We  were  very  short  of  small  rowing-boats.  Those  belonging  to 
the  steamers  were  very  large  and  clumsy,  and  I  wished  to  build 
a  few  handy  dingies  that  would  be  extremely  useful  for  the  next 
voyage  up  the  obstructions  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe.  I  therefore  in- 
structed the  English  shipwrights  to  take  the  job  in  hand,  and 
during  a  ramble  through  the  forest  they  selected  several  trees. 
These  were  quickly  felled,  and  the  sawyers  were  soon  at  work 
cutting  planks,  keels,  and  all  the  necessary  wood  for  boat-build- 
ing. It  is  a  pleasure  to  see  English  mechanics  at  work  in  a  wild 
country ;  they  finish  a  job  while  an  Egyptian  workman  is  con- 
sidering how  to  do  it.  In  a  very  short  time  Mr.  Jarvis,  the  head 
shipwright,  had  constructed  an  impromptu  workshop,  with  an 
iron  roof,  within  the  forest;  several  sets  of  sawj'ers  were  at  work, 
and  in  a  few  days  the  keel  of  a  new  boat  was  laid  down. 

The  chief  mechanical  engineer,  Mr.  McWilliam,  was  engaged  in 
setting  up  the  steam  saw-mills,  and  in  a  few  weeks  after  our  first 
arrival  in  this  uninhabited  wilderness  the  change  appeared  magic- 
al. In  addition  to  the  long  rows  of  white  tents,  and  the  perma- 
nent iron  magazines,  were  hundreds  of  neat  huts  arranged  in  exact 
lines;  a  large  iron  workshop  containing  lathes,  drilling-machines, 
and  small  vertical  saw -machine;  next  to  this,  the  blacksmith's 
bellows  roared ;  and  the  constant  sound  of  the  hammer  and  an- 
vil betokened  a  new  life  in  the  silent  forests  of  the  White  Nile. 
There  were  several  good  men,  who  had  received  a  European  me- 
chanical education,  among  those  I  had  brought  from  Egypt ; 
these  were  now  engaged  with  the  English  engineers  in  repairing 
the  engine  of  the  No.  10  steamer,  which  required  a  new  piston. 
I  ordered  a  number  of  very  crooked  bill-hooks  to  be  prepared 
for  cutting  the  tangled  vegetation  during  our  next  voyage.  The 
first  boat,  about  sixteen  feet  long,  was  progressing,  and  the  entire 
station  was  a  field  of  industry.  The  gardens  were  green  with 
vegetables,  and  every  thing  would  have  been  flourishing  had  the 
troops  been  in  good  health.  Those  miserable  Egyptians  appear 
to  be  in  a  hopeless  condition  morally.    It  was  impossible  to  in- 


70 


ISMAILlA. 


still  any  spirit  into  them;  and  if  sick,  they  at  once  made  up  their 
minds  to  die.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  my  regiment  of  convicts 
was  not  a  fair  sample  of  the  spirit  and  intelligence  of  the  Egyp- 
tian fellah.    Some  of  them  deserted. 

There  is  an  absurd  prejudice  among  the  men  that  the  grind- 
ing of  flour  upon  the  usual  flat  millstone  is  an  unmanly  task,  that 
should  always  be  performed  by  a  woman.  This  is  a  very  ancient 
prejudice,  if  we  may  judge  by  the  symbols  found  upon  the  flat 
millstones  of  the  ancient  Egyptians.  We  also  hear  in  the  Tes- 
tament, "  Two  women  shall  be  grinding  together ;  one  shall  be 
taken,  the  other  left."  There  was  a  scarcity  of  women  in  our 
station ;  and  the  grinding  of  the  corn  would  have  given  rise  to 
much  discontent  had  I  not  experienced  this  difficulty  on  a  for- 
mer voyage,  and  provided  myself  with  steel  corn-mills.  I  had 
one  of  these  erected  for  each  company  of  troops,  and,  in  addition 
to  the  usual  labor,  I  always  sentenced  men  under  punishment  to 
so  many  hours  at  the  mill. 

Although  this  country  was  exceedingly  rich  in  soil,  it  was  en- 
tirely uninhabited  on  our  side  (the  east)  of  the  river.  This  had 
formerly  been  the  Dinka  country,  but  it  had  been  quite  depopu- 
lated by  razzias  made  for  slaves  by  the  former  and  present  gov- 
ernors of  Fashoda.  These  raids  had  been  made  on  a  large  scale, 
with  several  thousand  troops,  in  addition  to  the  sharp  slave- 
hunters,  the  Baggara  Arabs,  as  allies.  The  result  was  almost  the 
extermination  of  the  Dinka  tribe.  It  seemed  incomprehensible 
to  the  Shillook  natives  that  a  government  that  had  only  lately 
made  slave -hunting  a  profession  should  suddenly  turn  against 
the  slave-hunters. 

I  frequently  rode  on  horseback  about  the  country  ;  and  where- 
ever  I  found  a  spot  slightly  raised  above  the  general  level,  I  was 
sure  to  discover  quantities  of  broken  pottery,  the  vestiges  of  vil- 
lages, which  had  at  a  former  time  been  numerous.  There  was 
very  little  game,  but  now  and  then  ostriches  were  seen  stalking 
about  the  yellow  plains  of  withered  grass.  On  one  occasion  I 
was  riding  with  Lieutenant  Baker,  accompanied  by  a  few  order- 
lies, when  I  distinguished  the  forms  of  several  ostriches  at  a 
great  distance.  They  were  feeding  on  the  flat  plain,  where  it 
was  hopeless  to  attempt  an  approach.  I  was  just  replacing  my 
telescope,  when  I  observed  an  ostrich  emerge  from  behind  some 
bushes  about  four  hundred  yards'  distance.  This  was  a  male 
bird,  by  the  black  color,  and  it  appeared  to  be  feeding  toward 
the  scattered  bush  on  my  left.  We  were  at  the  moment  partially 
concealed  by  the  green  foliage.    I  immediately  dismounted,  and 


SHOOT  AN  OSTRICH. 


71 


leaving  the  party  behind  the  bushes,  I  ran  quickly  forward,  al- 
ways concealed  by  the  thick  thorns,  until  I  thought  I  must  be 
somewhere  within  shot,  unless  the  bird  had  discovered  me  and 
escaped  without  my  knowledge.  I  now  went  cautiously  and 
slowly  forward,  stooping  under  the  bushes  when  necessary,  and 
keeping  a  good  lookout  on  all  sides,  as  I  expected  that  the  os- 
trich must  be  somewhere  in  the  bush.  At  length,  as  I  turned 
round  a  clump  of  thick  thorns,  I  sighted  the  bird  racing  away 
with  immense  speed  straight  from  me  at  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  yards.  I  raised  the  150-yard  sight  of  the  Dutchman,  and 
taking  him  very  steadily,  as  the  bird  kept  a  perfectly  straight 
course,  I  fired.  The  ostrich  at  once  fell  with  so  great  a  shock 
upon  the  hard,  parched  ground,  that  the  air  was  full  of  feathers. 
I  stepped  one  hundred  and  thirty  long  paces,  and  found  that  the 
bullet  had  struck  the  bird  in  the  centre  of  the  back,  killing  it 
instantly.  My  party  came  up  to  my  whistle,  and  I  dispatched 
a  mounted  orderly  to  camp  to  bring  men  and  donkeys. 

Although  I  have  been  many  years  in  Africa,  this  was  the  first 
and  the  last  ostrich  that  I  have  ever  bagged.  It  was  a  very  fine 
male,  and  the  two  thighs  and  legs  were  a  very  fair  load  for  a 
strong  donkey. 

I  have  seen  erroneous  accounts  of  ostriches  designated  as  two 
varieties,  the  black  and  the  gray.  The  black,  with  white  feathers 
in  the  wings  and  tail,  is  simply  the  male,  and  the  gray  the  female. 
The  feathers  of  this  bird  were  old  and  in  bad  order.  The  fat  is 
much  esteemed  by  the  Arabs  as  an  external  application  for  rheu- 
matism. I  found  the  stomach  rich  in  scorpions,  beetles,  leaves 
of  trees,  and  white  rounded  quartz-pebbles.  The  bird  must  have 
come  from  a  considerable  distance,  as  there  was  neither  rock  nor 
pebble  in  the  neighborhood. 

On  my  return  to  camp,  I  carved  an  artificial  ostrich  head  from 
a  piece  of  wood,  and  made  false  eves  with  the  neck  of  a  wine- 
bottle.  I  intended  to  stick  this  head  upon  a  pole,  concealed  in  a 
linen  fishing-rod  case,  and  to  dress  up  my  cap  with  thick  plumes 
of  ostrich  feathers.  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  would  be  possible  to 
approach  ostriches  in  grass  by  this  imitation,  as  the  pole  would 
be  carried  in  the  left  hand,  and  all  the  movements  of  the  ostrich- 
es might  be  easily  imitated.  The  pole  in  the  left  hand  rested  on 
the  ground  would  make  a  good  rest  for  the  rifle  when  the  mo- 
ment arrived  for  the  shot. 

Heavy  rains  set  in,  and  the  hitherto  dry  plains  became  flooded 
and  swampy :  thus  I  never  had  an  opportunity  to  try  my  false 
ostrich. 


72 


ISMAILlA. 


The  Shillooks  were  now  become  our  firm  friends.  The  camp 
was  crowded  daily  with  natives  who  came  by  water  from  a  con- 
siderable distance  to  traffic  with  the  soldiers.  Like  all  negroes, 
they  were  sharp  traders,  with  a  Jewish  tendency  in  their  bargains. 
They  brought  raw  cotton  and  provisions  of  all  kinds,  in  exchange 
for  cotton  manufactures  and  iron.  Their  country  consists  simply 
of  rich  alluvial  soil ;  therefore  all  iron  must  be  imported,  and  it 
is  of  great  value.  The  best  articles  of  exchange  for  this  country 
would  be  pieces  of  wrought  iron  of  about  four  ounces  in  weight 
and  six  inches  long,  and  pieces  of  eight  ounces,  and  eight  inches 
in  length ;  also  cotton  cloth,  known  as  gray  calico,  together  with 
white  calico,  and  other  cheap  manufactures.  The  cotton  that  is 
indigenous  to  the  country  is  short  in  staple,  but  it  grows  perfect- 
ly wild.  The  Shillooks  are  very  industrious,  and  cultivate  large 
quantities  of  dhurra  and  some  maize,  but  the  latter  is  only  used 
to  eat  in  a  green  state,  roasted  on  the  ashes.  The  grain  of  maize 
is  too  hard  to  grind  on  the  common  flat  millstones  of  the  natives ; 
thus  it  is  seldom  cultivated  in  any  portion  of  Central  Africa  on 
an  extended  scale.  I  gave  some  good  Egyptian  cotton-seed  to 
the  natives,  also  the  seed  of  various  European  vegetables.  To- 
bacco was  in  great  demand  by  the  troops,  and  I  considered  the 
quality  supplied  by  the  Shillooks  superior  to  that  cultivated  in 
the  Soudan. 

Although  the  camp  was  visited  by  hundreds  of  natives,  includ- 
ing their  women,  daily,  there  were  seldom  any  quarrels  over  the 
marketing ;  and  when  a  disagreement  took  place,  it  was  generally 
the  fault  of  a  soldier,  who  took  something  on  credit,  and  pleaded 
inability  to  pay.  I  administered  a  rough-and-ready  justice,  and 
appointed  an  officer  to  superintend  the  bazar  to  prevent  squabbles. 

I  was  much  struck  with  the  honesty  of  the  natives,  who  ap- 
peared thoroughly  to  appreciate  the  protection  afforded  them, 
and  the  fair  dealing  insisted  upon  on  the  part  of  the  troops.  The 
river  was  about  seven  hundred  yards  wide;  but  the  land  on  the 
west  shore  was  only  a  large  island,  through  which  several  small 
streams  cut  deep  channels.  This  island  was  separated  from  the 
main  western  shore  by  a  branch  of  the  White  Nile.  The  west 
bank  was  thickly  lined  with  villages  for  about  two  hundred  miles 
of  river  frontage  throughout  the  Shillook  country ;  thus  affording 
admirable  opportunities  for  direct  trade  with  vessels  from  Khar- 
toum. It  was  a  tedious  journey  for  the  natives  to  visit  us  daily, 
as  they  had  to  cross  first  their  western  branch  of  the  Nile,  then 
to  carry  their  canoes  across  the  island  for  about  a  mile,  and  again 
to  cross  the  main  river  to  arrive  at  our  camp.   The  Shillook  canoe 


SHILLOOK  HONESTY. 


73 


has  often  been  described.  It  is  formed  of  long  pieces  of  the  am- 
batch-wood,  which  is  lighter  than  cork.  These  curious  trees, 
which  grow  in  the  swamps  of  the  White  Nile,  are  thick  at  the 
base,  and  taper  to  a  point;  thus  a  number  are  lashed  securely  to- 
gether, and  the  points  are  tied  tightly  with  cord,  so  as  to  form  a 
bow.  These  canoes,  or  rafts,  generally  convey  two  persons,  and 
they  are  especially  adapted  for  the  marshy  navigation  of  the 
river,  as  they  can  be  carried  on  the  head  without  difficulty  when 
it  may  be  necessary  to  cross  an  island  or  morass. 

Our  native  traders  arrived  daily  in  fleets  of  these  canoes  from 
a  considerable  distance.  The  soldiers  trusted  them  with  their  ra- 
tions of  corn  to  grind,  rather  than  take  the  trouble  to  prepare  it 
themselves.  The  natives  took  the  corn  to  their  homes,  and  in- 
variably returned  with  the  honest  complement  of  flour.  I  never 
had  a  complaint  brought  before  me  of  dishonesty  when  a  Shil- 
look  had  been  trusted.  I  have  great  hopes  of  these  people ;  they 
simply  require  an  assurance  of  good  faith  and  protection  to  be- 
come a  valuable  race. 

From  the  Shillook  country  to  Khartoum  the  river  is  superb, 
and  can  be  navigated  at  all  seasons.  The  northern  end  of  this 
country  is  rich  in  forests  of  the  Acacia  Arabica  (Soont),  a  wood 
that  is  invaluable  as  fuel  for  steamers,  and  is  the  only  really  du- 
rable wood  for  ship-building  in  the  Soudan.  The  rains  begin  in 
May,  and  are  regular  throughout  four  months:  thus  cotton  may 
be  cultivated  without  the  expense  of  artificial  irrigation ;  at  the 
same  time  the  dry  summer  offers  an  inestimable  advantage  for 
gathering  the  crop. 

The  Dinka  country,  on  the  east  bank,  would  have  been  of 
equal  value;  but,  as  I  have  already  described,  it  has  been  depop- 
ulated. 

There  was  an  old  blind  sheik  who  frequently  visited  us  from 
the  other  side,  and  this  poor  old  fellow  came  to  an  untimely  end 
when  returning  one  day  with  his  son  from  marketing  at  Tewfi- 
keeyah.  I  was  walking  on  the  quay,  when  I  heard  a  great  com- 
motion, and  I  saw  a  splashing  in  the  river,  the  surface  of  which 
was  covered  with  the  ambatch  fragments  of  a  native  canoe. 
There  were  many  canoes  on  the  river,  several  of  which  immedi- 
ately went  to  the  assistance  of  two  men  who  were  struggling  in 
the  water.  A  hippopotamus  had  wantonly  charged  the  canoe; 
and  seizing  it  in  his  mouth,  together  with  the  poor  old  blind 
sheik,  who  could  not  avoid  the  danger,  crunched  the  frail  boat  to 
pieces,  and  so  crushed  and  lacerated  the  old  man  that,  although 
he  was  rescued  by  his  comrades,  he  died  during  the  night. 


74 


ISMAILlA. 


As  peace  and  confidence  had  been  thoroughly  established 
among  the  Shillooks,  I  determined  to  send  for  the  Governor  of 
Fashoda,  and  to  introduce  him  personally  to  the  old  king,  Quat 
Kare,  whom  he  had  officially  reported  to  be  dead.  I  therefore 
sent  for  Quat  Kare;  and  having  informed  him  of  my  intention,  I 
sent  the  steamer  to  Fashoda  (sixty-five  miles),  and  invited  the 
Koordi  to  pay  me  a  visit. 

When  he  arrived,  I  received  him  beneath  the  tree  which  form- 
ed my  divan,  and  after  a  preliminary  pipe  and  coffee  we  proceed- 
ed to  business.  I  told  him  that  he  must  have  been  in  error  when 
he  reported  the  death  of  the  old  king,  as  I  had  proved  him  to  be 
still  alive.  He  replied  that  he  did  not  believe  the  real  Quat  Kare 
was  in  existence,  as  he  had  heard  on  the  best  authority  that  he 
was  dead.  I  gave  an  order  to  an  aid-de-camp,  and  in  a  few  min- 
utes the  tall  and  stately  figure  of  the  old  king  was  seen  approach- 
ing, accompanied  by  his  wives,  ministers,  and  a  crowd  of  most 
orderly  retainers,  including  several  of  his  sons.  The  king  sat 
down  upon  a  carpet  in  a  dignified  manner,  without  taking  the 
slightest  notice  of  the  Koordi  governor.  His  two  wives  sat  down 
by  him,  but  his  sons  stood,  with  his  followers,  a  few  yards  distant. 

The  Koordi,  who  was  a  remarkably  handsome  old  man,  with  a 
snow-white  beard,  sat  equally  unmoved,  smoking  the  long  chi- 
bouk, without  apparently  regarding  the  king  or  his  people.  The 
chibouk  is  a  most  useful  instrument  for  a  diplomat.  If  the  situa- 
tion is  difficult,  he  can  puff,  puff,  puff,  and  the  incorrigible  pipe 
will  not  draw ;  in  the  mean  time  he  considers  a  reply.  At  length 
the  pipe  draws,  a  cloud  of  smoke  issues  from  the  mouth.  "  I  beg 
your  pardon,"  says  the  embarrassed  diplomat,  evidently  relieved 
by  the  little  unreal  difficulty  with  his  pipe,  "  what  were  we  talk- 
ing about?"  and  having  considered  his  reply,  he  is  ready  for  ar- 
gument. The  pipe  then  draws  leisurely,  the  smoke  ascends  in 
steady  clouds,  while  he  listens  to  the  arguments  of  the  other  side. 
There  is  no  necessity  for  a  too  sudden  reply.  Even  if  the  con- 
versation has  ceased,  the  pipe  may  be  calmly  smoked,  while  the 
facts  of  the  case  are  arranged  in  the  owner's  mind  before  he  com- 
mits himself  to  an  answer. 

In  the  present  instance  nobody  spoke,  but  the  Koordi  governor 
of  Fashoda  smoked  steadily.  Presently  Quat  Kare  fixed  his  eyes 
upon  him  with  a  steady  and  determined  stare,  but  with  his  usual 
immovable  features,  and  he  thus  silently  regarded  him  during 
several  minutes.  "  Have  I  found  thee,  oh  mine  enemy  ?"  might 
have  been  the  Shillook  king's  idea,  but  he  kept  silence. 

How  long  this  tableau  vivant  would  have  continued  it  is  impos- 


INTERVIEW  WITH  QUAT  KARE. 


75 


sible  to  say ;  therefore  I  proceeded  to  business  by  asking  the  gov- 
ernor if  he  knew  Quat  Kare  by  sight?    He  only  replied  "  Yes." 

At  this  reply,  the  king,  without  altering  his  position  or  expres- 
sion, said,  "Then,  who  am  I?" 

The  Koordi  raised  his  eyes  for  the  first  time  and  looked  at 
Quat  Kare,  but  said  nothing;  he  only  puffed — the  pipe  did  not 
seem  to  draw  well.  At  length  a  fair  volume  of  smoke  was  emit- 
ted, and  the  Koordi  answered  by  a  question :  "  If  you  are  Quat 
Kare,  why  did  you  hide  yourself?  Why  did  you  not  present 
yourself  before  me  at  Fashoda?  Then  I  should  have  known 
that  you  were  alive." 

Quat  Kare  regarded  him  fixedly,  and  he  replied  slowly,"  Where 
are  all  my  cattle  that  you  stole?  Where  are  the  women  and 
children  that  you  kidnaped  ?  I  considered  that  if  you  took  my 
cattle  and  captured  my  people,  you  might  probably  take  me; 
therefore  I  declined  the  opportunity." 

The  Koordi  puffed,  and  puffed  vigorously,  but  the  long  pipe 
did  not  draw ;  something  had  evidently  choked  the  tube. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  describe  the  whole  dialogue,  but  there 
was  no  question  that  the  old  Shillook  king  had  the  best  of  the 
argument.  Therefore,  after  a  long  discussion,  during  which  the 
king  was  continually  prompted  by  his  favorite  wife  in  excited 
whispers  that  every  one  could  hear,  I  examined  both  the  gov- 
ernor and  the  king  upon  various  points,  and  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  governor  was  a  great  scoundrel,  and  the  king  a  very 
cunning  fellow;  at  the  same  time,  he  had  been  shamefully  treat- 
ed. The  Koordi  had  reported  him  as  dead,  and  obtained  a  fir- 
man conferring  the  title  of  Sheik  of  the  Shillooks  upon  an  im- 
postor, who  had  been  a  grand  enemy  of  Quat  Kare.  Since  that 
time  the  adherents  of  Quat  Kare  had  been  subject  to  constant 
raids  and  pillage,  and  the  old  king  was  a  fugitive,  who,  if  caught 
by  the  Koordi,  would  assuredly  have  been  quietly  put  out  of  the 
way. 

I  decided  that  the  affair  must  be  settled  in  the  following  man- 
ner: I  explained  that  I  had  no  jurisdiction  in  the  Shillook  coun- 
try, which  was  under  the  government  of  Ali  Bey,  the  Koordi; 
but  as  I  held  the  positive  and  special  orders  of  the  Khedive  to 
suppress  the  slave-trade,  I  had  been  compelled  to  interfere,  and 
to  release  those  captives  who  had  been  thus  shamelessly  kid- 
naped. 

With  regard  to  the  general  pillage  of  the  country  instead  of 
direct  taxation,  the  governor  would  explain  his  conduct  to  the 
Khedive.    With  regard  to  the  false  report  of  Quat  Kare's  death, 


76 


ISMAILlA. 


there  could  be  no  doubt  that  the  firman  for  his  rival,  Jangy,  had 
been  obtained  from  the  Khedive  under  false  pretenses. 

I  therefore  recommended  Quat  Kare  and  his  sons  to  go  direct 
to  Khartoum,  and  plead  his  cause  at  the  divan  of  Djiaffer  Pasha, 
who  was  the  governor-general  of  the  Soudan,  which  included  the 
Shillook  country;  thus  the  whole  affair  was  within  his  jurisdic- 
tion. I  also  explained  that  I  should  send  an  official  dispatch  to 
the  Khedive  of  Egypt,  and  also  to  Djiaffer  Pasha,  describing  the 
general  state  of  the  Shillook  country,  and  the  special  case  of  Quat 
Kare,  with  a  direct  report  upon  the  kidnaping  of  slaves  by  the 
government's  representative. 

At  the  same  time  I  assured  Quat  Kare  and  his  people  that  the 
Khedive  had  only  one  object  in  forming  a  government:  this  was 
to  protect  the  natives,  and  to  develop  the  resources  of  the  coun- 
try. I  persuaded  the  Koordi  and  Quat  Kare  to  become  friends, 
and  at  once  to  declare  peace;  thus,  all  hostilities  having  ceased, 
the  responsibility  for  further  disturbance  would  rest  with  him 
who  should  recommence  a  breach  of  the  peace. 

I  advised  the  Shillook  king  to  forget  the  past,  where  there  had 
evidently  been  a  mistake,  and  he  should  trust  to  his  application 
to  Djiaffer  Pasha,  who  would  speedily  give  him  justice.  The 
Shillook  king  then  replied,  without  moving  a  muscle  of  his  fea- 
tures, "  If  I  forget  the  past,  what  is  to  become  of  all  my  cattle 
that  the  Koordi  has  stolen  from  me?  Is  he  going  to  return 
them,  or  keep  them  himself,  and  forget  the  past?  I  can't  forget 
my  cows." 

This  practical  question  was  difficult  to  answer.  The  Koordi's 
pipe  was  out:  he  therefore  rose  from  his  seat  and  retired,  leav- 
ing the  stoical  Quat  Kare  master  of  his  position,  but  not  of  his 
cattle.  I  advised  him  to  say  nothing  more  until  he  should  see 
Djiaffer  Pasha,  and  he  would  receive  a  direct  reply  from  the 
Khedive. 

Quat  Kare,  with  his  wives  and  daughters  and  general  retinue, 
determined  to  pass  the  night  in  our  station. 

I  therefore  ordered  an  ox  to  be  killed  for  their  entertainment. 
I  gave  the  king  a  large  cashmere  scarf,  also  one  of  red  printed 
cotton,  and  a  dozen  small  harness -bells,  which  he  immediately 
arranged  as  anklets.  His  usually  unchangeable  countenance  re- 
laxed into  a  smile  of  satisfaction  as  he  took  leave,  and  the  bells 
tinkled  at  every  footstep  as  he  departed. 

Quat  Kare  never  eats  or  drinks  in  the  presence  of  his  people, 
but  his  food  is  taken  to  him,  either  within  a  hut  or  to  a  lonely 
tree. 


A  SAIL  IN  SIGHT. 


77 


On  the  following  morning  both  the  Governor  of  Fashoda  and 
the  old  king  returned  to  their  respective  homes. 

On  the  10th  of  May  a  sail  was  reported  by  the  sentries  in  the 
south.  None  of  the  slave-traders  had  any  intelligence  of  my 
station  at  Tewnkeeyah.  The  people  of  Kutchuk  Ali,  on  the 
Bahr  Giraffe,  were  under  the  impression  that  we  had  returned 
direct  to  Khartoum.  I  was  rather  curious  to  know  whether 
they  would  presume  to  send  slaves  down  the  White  Nile  dur- 
ing this  season,  knowing  that  the  Khedive  had  sent  me  expressly 
to  suppress  the  trade.  I  could  not  believe  that  the  Koordi 
governor  of  Fashoda  would  have  the  audacity  to  allow  the  free 
passage  of  slave-vessels  after  the  stringent  orders  that  had  been 
given.  Although  I  had  heard  that  this  governor  had  amassed 
a  considerable  fortune  by  the  establishment  of  a  toll  per  head  for 
every  slave  that  passed  Fashoda,  I  imagined  that  he  would  this 
year  make  up  his  mind  that  the  rich  harvest  was  over. 

If  any  vessels  should  attempt  to  descend  with  slave  cargoes, 
they  must  pass  my  new  station,  of  which  they  were  ignorant ;  and 
the  fact  would  prove  the  complicity  of  the  Governor  of  Fashoda, 
as  it  would  substantiate  all  the  reports  that  I  had  heard  concern- 
ing his  connivance  with  the  slave-traders.  The  strange  sail  now 
reported  was  rapidly  approaching  on  her  route  to  Khartoum, 
without  the  slightest  suspicion  that  a  large  military  station  was 
established  within  four  miles  of  the  Sobat  junction.  If  guilty, 
she  was  thus  approaching  the  jaws  of  the  lion. 

As  she  neared  the  station,  she  must  have  discovered  the  long 
row  of  masts  and  yards  of  the  fleet  moored  alongside  the  quay. 
Of  these  she  appeared  to  take  no  notice;  and  keeping  well  in 
the  middle  of  the  river,  she  would  have  passed  the  station,  and 
continued  on  her  voyage.  This  looked  very  suspicious,  and  I 
at  once  sent  a  boat  to  order  her  to  halt. 

When  she  was  brought  alongside,  I  sent  my  trusty  aid-de- 
camp, Colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  on  board  to  make  the  necessary  in- 
quiries. She  was  quite  innocent.  The  captain  and  the  vakeel 
(agent  and  commander  of  station)  were  amazed  at  my  thinking  it 
necessary  to  search  their  vessel.  She  had  a  quantity  of  corn  on 
board,  stowed  in  bulk.  There  was  not  a  person  beside  the  crew 
and  a  few  soldiers  from  Kutchuk  Ali's  station. 

The  vakeel  was  the  same  whom  I  had  seen  at  the  station  at 
the  Bahr  Giraffe,  to  whom  I  had  given  advice  that  he  should  not 
attempt  to  send  slaves  down  the  river  again.  All  was  in  order. 
The  vessel  belonged  to  Kutchuk  Ali,  who  now  commanded  the 
government  expedition  sent  by  Djiaffer  Pasha  to  the  Bahr  Gazal. 


78 


IS  MAILT  J. 


She  was  laden  with  ivory  beneath  the  corn,  which  was  for  the 
supply  of  the  crew  and  soldiers. 

Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  was  an  excellent  officer ;  he  was  one  of 
the  exceptions  who  took  a  great  interest  in  the  expedition,  and 
he  always  served  me  faithfully.  He  was  a  fine,  powerful  man, 
upward  of  six  feet  high,  and  not  only  active,  but  extremely  de- 
termined. He  was  generally  called  "the  Englishman"  by  his 
brother  officers,  as  a  bitter  compliment  reflecting  on  his  debased 
taste  for  Christian  society.  This  officer  was  not  the  man  to  neg- 
lect a  search  because  the  agent  of  Kutchuk  Ali  protested  his 
innocence,  and  exhibited  the  apparently  naked  character  of  his 
vessel.  She  appeared  suspiciously  full  of  corn  for  a  boat  home- 
ward-bound. There  was  an  awkward  smell  about  the  closely- 
boarded  forecastle  which  resembled  that  of  unwashed  negroes. 
Abd-el-Kader  drew  a  steel  ramrod  from  a  soldier's  rifle,  and 
probed  sharply  through  the  corn. 

A  smothered  cry  from  beneath,  and  a  wriggling  among  the 
corn,  was  succeeded  by  a  woolly  head,  as  the  strong  Abd-el-Ka- 
der, having  thurst  his  long  arm  into  the  grain,  dragged  forth  by 
the  wrist  a  negro  woman.  The  corn  was  at  once  removed ;  the 
planks  which  boarded  up  the  forecastle  and  the  stern  were 
broken  down  ;  and  there  was  a  mass  of  humanity  exposed — boys, 
girls,  and  women — closely  packed  like  herrings  in  a  barrel,  who, 
under  the  fear  of  threats,  had  remained  perfectly  silent  until  thus 
discovered.  The  sail  attached  to  the  mainyard  of  the  vessel  ap- 
peared full  and  heavy  in  the  lower  part;  this  was  examined,  and, 
upon  unpacking,  it  yielded  a  young  woman  who  had  thus  been 
sewn  up  to  avoid  discovery. 

The  case  was  immediately  reported  to  me.  I  at  once  ordered 
the  vessel  to  be  unloaded.  We  discovered  one  hundred  and  fifty 
slaves  stowed  away  in  a  most  inconceivably  small  area.  The 
stench  was  horrible  when  they  began  to  move.  Many  were  in 
irons;  these  were  quickly  released  by  the  blacksmiths,  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  captives,  who  did  not  appear  to  understand 
the  proceeding. 

I  ordered  the  vakeel  and  the  reis,  or  captain,  of  the  vessel  to 
be  put  in  irons.  The  slaves  began  to  comprehend  that  their  cap- 
tors were  now  captives.  They  now  began  to  speak,  and  many- 
declared  that  the  greater  portion  of  the  men  of  their  villages  had 
been  killed  by  the  slave-hunters. 

Having  weighed  the  ivory  and  counted  the  tusks,  I  had  the 
vessel  reloaded ;  and  having  placed  an  officer  with  a  guard  on 
board,  I  sent  her  to  Khartoum  to  be  confiscated  as  a  slaver. 


WHOLESALE  MATRIMONY. 


70 


I  ordered  the  slaves  to  wash,  and  issued  clothes  from  the  mag- 
azine for  the  naked  women. 

On  the  following  day  I  inspected  the  captives,  and  I  explain- 
ed to  them  their  exact  position.  They  were  free  people,  and  if 
their  homes  were  at  a  reasonable  distance  they  should  be  return- 
ed. If  not,  they  must  make  themselves  generally  useful,  in  re- 
turn for  which  they  would  be  fed  and  clothed. 

If  any  of  the  women  wished  to  marry,  there  were  many  fine 
young  men  in  the  regiments  who  would  make  capital  husbands. 
I  gave  each  person  a  paper  of  freedom  signed  by  myself.  This 
was  contained  in  a  hollow  reed,  and  suspended  round  their  necks. 
Their  names,  approximate  age,  sex,  and  country  were  registered 
in  a  book  corresponding  with  the  numbers  on  their  papers. 

These  arrangements  occupied  the  whole  morning.  In  the 
afternoon  I  again  inspected  them.  Having  asked  the  officer 
whether  any  of  the  negresses  would  wish  to  be  married,  he  re- 
plied that  all  the  women  wished  to  marry,  and  that  they  had 
already  selected  their  husbands! 

This  was  wholesale  matrimony,  that  required  a  church  as  large 
as  Westminster  Abbey,  and  a  whole  company  of  clergy ! 

Fortunately,  matters  are  briefly  arranged  in  Africa.  I  saw 
the  loving  couples  standing  hand  in  hand.  Some  of  the  girls 
were  pretty,  and  my  black  troops  had  shown  good  taste  in  their 
selection.  Unfortunately,  however,  for  the  Egyptian  regiment, 
the  black  ladies  had  a  strong  antipathy  to  brown  men,  and  the 
suitors  were  all  refused.  This  was  a  very  awkward  affair.  The 
ladies  having  received  their  freedom,  at  once  asserted  "  woman's 
rights." 

I  was  obliged  to  limit  the  matrimonial  en^ao'ements ;  and 
those  who  were  for  a  time  condemned  to  single  blessedness  were 
placed  in  charge  of  certain  officers,  to  perform  the  cooking  for 
the  troops  and  other  domestic  work.  I  divided  the  boys  into 
classes ;  some  I  gave  to  the  English  workmen,  to  be  instructed 
in  carpenter's  and  blacksmith's  work ;  others  were  apprenticed 
to  tailors,  shoe-makers,  etc.,  in  the  regiment,  while  the  best-look- 
ing were  selected  as  domestic  servants.  A  nice  little  girl,  of 
about  three  years  old,  without  parents,  was  taken  care  of  by 
my  wife. 

When  slaves  are  liberated  in  large  numbers  there  is  always 
a  difficulty  in  providing  for  them.  We  feel  this  dilemma  when 
our  cruisers  capture  Arab  dhows  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa,  and 
our  government  becomes  responsible  for  an  influx  of  foundlings. 
It  is  generally  quite  impossible  to  return  them  to  their  own 


80 


ISMAILlA. 


homes ;  therefore  all  that  can  be  done  is  to  instruct  them  in  some 
useful  work  by  which  they  can  earn  their  livelihood.  If  the 
boys  have  their  choice,  they  invariably  desire  a  military  life; 
and  I  believe  it  is  the  best  school  for  any  young  savage,  as  he  is 
at  once  placed  under  strict  discipline,  which  teaches  him  habits 
of  order  and  obedience.  The  girls,  like  those  of  other  countries, 
prefer  marriage  to  regular  domestic  work;  nevertheless,  if  kindly 
treated,  with  a  due  amount  of  authority,  they  make  fair  servants 
for  any  rough  employment. 

When  female  children  are  about  five  years  old  they  are  most 
esteemed  by  the  slave-dealers,  as  they  can  be  more  easily  taught ; 
and  they  grow  up  with  an  attachment  to  their  possessors,  and  in 
fact  become  members  of  the  family. 

Little  Mostoora,  the  child  taken  by  my  wife,  was  an  exceeding- 
ly clever  specimen  of  her  race;  and  although  she  was  certainly 
not  more  than  three  years  old,  she  was  quicker  than  most  chil- 
dren of  double  her  age.  With  an  ugly  little  face,  she  had  a  beau- 
tifully shaped  figure,  and  possessed  a  power  of  muscle  that  I  have 
never  seen  in  a  white  child  of  that  age.  Her  lot  had  fallen  in 
pleasant  quarters;  she  was  soon  dressed  in  convenient  clothes, 
and  became  the  pet  of  the  family.- 

On  June  17th  I  sent  the  No.  9  steamer  to  Khartoum  with  the 
post,  together  with  three  sons  of  Quat  Kare,  who  were  to  repre- 
sent their  father  at  the  divan  of  Djiaffer  Pasha.  The  old  man 
declined  the  voyage,  pleading  his  age  as  an  excuse.  Mr.  Wood 
also  returned,  as  his  health  required  an  immediate  change  to 
Egypt.  On  the  25th,  four  vessels  arrived  from  the  South,  two 
belonging  to  Kutchuk  Ali,  one  to  A  gad,  and  one  to  a  trader 
named  Assaballa,  from  the  Bahr  Gazal.  The  latter  had  thirty- 
five  slaves  on  board.  The  others  had  heard,  by  some  vessels 
that  had  gone  up  from  Khartoum,  that  I  had  formed  a  station 
near  the  Sobat,  and  had  captured  the  vessel  and  slaves  of  Kut- 
chuk Ali;  thus  they  had  landed  their  slaves  at  the  Bahr  Giraffe 
station.  The  Bahr  Gazal  vessel  having  arrived  from  a  different 
direction,  had  not  received  the*  information.  I  seized  the  boat 
and  cargo,  and  liberated  the  slaves. 

On  board  the  diahbeeah  of  Kutchuk  Ali  were  four  musicians, 
natives  of  Pongo,  on  the  river  Djoor.  Their  band  consisted  of 
two  iron  bells,  a  flageolet,  and  an  instrument  made  of  hard  wood 
that  was  arranged  like  the  musical-glasses  of  Europe.  The  latter 
was  formed  of  ten  pieces  of  a  metallic  sounding-wood  suspended 
above  long,  narrow,  gourd  shells.  Each  piece  of  wood  produced 
a  separate  note,  and  the  instrument  was  played  by  four  sticks, 


ARRANGEMENTS  FOR  CULTIVATION. 


81 


the  ends  of  which  were  covered  with  india  rubber.  The  general 
effect,  although  a  savage  kind  of  harmony,  was  superior  to  most 
native  attempts  at  music. 

The  station  of  Tewfikeeyah  had  now  assumed  an  important 
aspect,  and  I  much  regretted  that,  when  the  time  should  arrive 
for  our  departure  to  the  South,  it  would  be  abandoned :  however, 
I  determined  to  keep  all  hands  employed,  as  there  is  nothing  so 
demoralizing  to  troops  as  inaction.  At  the  same  time  there  was 
a  general  dislike  to  the  expedition,  and  all  trusted  that  some- 
thing might  happen  that  would  prevent  another  attempt  to  pene- 
trate the  marshes  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe.  There  was  much  allow- 
ance to  be  made  for  this  feeling.  The  seeds  of  dangerous  disor- 
ders, that  had  been  sown  by  the  malaria  of  the  swamps,  had  now 
exhibited  themselves  in  fatal  attacks  of  dysentery  that  quickly 
formed  a  cemetery  at  Tewfikeeyah. 

The  Egyptian  troops  were  generally  sickly  and  dispirited,  and 
went  to  their  daily  work  in  a  slouching,  dogged  manner,  that 
showed  their  passive  hatred  of  the  employment. 

I  arranged  that  the  sailors  should  cultivate  a  piece  of  ground 
with  corn,  while  the  soldiers  should  be  employed  in  a  similar 
manner  in  another  position.  The  sailors  were  all  Nubians,  or 
the  natives  of  Dongola,  Berber,  and  the  countries  bordering  the 
Nile  in  the  Soudan.  These  people  were  of  the  same  class  as  the 
slave-hunter  companies,  men  who  hated  work,  and  preferred  a 
life  of  indolence,  lounging  sleepily  about  their  vessels.  I  quickly 
got  these  fellows  into  order  by  dividing  them  into  gangs,  over 
which  I  placed  separate  head  men,  the  captains  of  vessels;  one 
superior  officer  commanded,  and  was  responsible  for  the  whole. 

They  only  worked  six  hours  daily,  but  by  this  simple  organi- 
zation I  soon  had  thirty  acres  of  land  cleaned.  The  grass  and 
roots  were  burned  in  piles,  the  ashes  spread,  and  the  entire  field 
was  dug  over,  and  sown  with  barley,  wheat,  and  dhurra.  There 
is  a  civilizing  influence  in  cultivation,  and  nothing  is  so  cheering 
in  a  wild  country  as  the  sight  of  well-arranged  green  fields  that 
are  flourishing  in  the  centre  of  the  neglected  wilderness.  I  had 
now  a  promising  little  farm  of  about  thirty  acres  belonging  to 
our  naval  brigade,  and  a  very  unpromising  farm  that  had  been 
managed  by  my  colonel,  Raouf  Bey.  The  soldiers  had  never 
even  cleared  the  rough  native  grass  from  the  surface,  but  had 
turned  up  the  soil  in  small  lots  at  intervals  of  about  a  foot,  into 
which  they  had  carelessly  dropped  a  few  grains  of  corn. 

We  now  found  agricultural  enemies  that  were  unexpected. 
Guinea-fowl  recognized  the  importance  of  cultivation,  and  ere- 


8-2 


ISMAILIA. 


ated  terrible  damage.  Small  birds  of  the  sparrow  tribe  infested 
the  newly-sown  land  in  clouds;  but  worse  than  these  enemies 
were  the  vast  armies  of  great  ants. 

These  industrious  insects,  ever  providing  for  the  future,  discov- 
ered the  newly-sown  barley  and  wheat;  and  considering  that  such 
an  opportunity  should  not  be  neglected,  they  literally  marched 
off  with  the  greater  portion  of  the  seed  that  was  exposed.  I  saw 
them  on  many  occasions  returning  in  countless  numbers  from  a 
foray,  each  carrying  in  its  mouth  a  grain  of  barley  or  wheat.  I 
tracked  them  to  their  subterranean  nests,  in  one  of  which  I  found 
about  a  peck  of  corn,  which  had  been  conveyed  by  separate  grains, 
and  patches  of  land  had  been  left  nearly  barren  of  seed. 

The  large  crimson -headed  goose  of  the  White  Nile  quickly 
discovered  that  barley  was  a  food  well  adapted  for  the  physical 
constitution  of  geese,  and  great  numbers  flocked  to  the  new  farm. 
The  guinea-fowl  were  too  wild  to  approach  successfully  ;  how- 
ever, we  shot  them  daily.  I  set  little  boys  to  scream  from  day- 
light till  sunset  to  scare  the  clouds  of  small  birds ;  but  the  boys 
screamed  themselves  to  sleep,  and  the  sparrows  quickly  discover- 
ed the  incapacity  of  the  watchers.  Wild  fowl  were  so  numerous 
on  an  island  opposite  the  farm,  that  we  not  only  shot  them  as 
we  required,  but  on  one  occasion  Lieutenant  Baker  and  myself 
bagged  in  about  two  hours  sixty-eight  ducks  and  geese,  most  of 
which  were  single  shots  in  flight  overhead. 

I  found  the  necessity  of  re-sowing  the  land  so  thickly  that 
there  should  be  sufficient  grain  to  allow  for  the  depredations  of 
our  enemies.  I  set  vermin  traps,  and  caught  the  guinea-fowl. 
Then  the  natural  enemy  appeared  in  the  wild  cats,  who  took  the 
guinea-fowls  out  of  the  traps.  At  first  the  men  were  suspected 
of  stealing  the  birds;  but  the  unmistakable  tracks  of  the  wild  cats 
were  found  close  to  the  traps,  and  shortly  after  the  wily  cats  them- 
selves became  victims.  These  were  generally  of  the  genus  Herpestris. 

When  the  crops,  having  resisted  many  enemies,  appeared 
above-ground,  they  were  attacked  by  the  mole  crickets  in  for- 
midable numbers.  These  destructive  insects  lived  beneath  the 
small  solid  clods  of  earth,  and  issuing  forth  at  night,  they  bit  the 
young  shoot  clean  off  close  to  the  parent  grain  at  the  point  of 
extreme  sweetness.  The  garden  suffered  terribly  from  these  in- 
sects, which  destroyed  whole  rows  of  cucumber-plants. 

I  had  brought  plows  from  Cairo.  These  were  the  native  im- 
plements that  are  used  throughout  Egypt.  There  is  always  a 
difficulty  in  the  first  commencement  of  agricultural  enterprise  in 
a  wild  country,  and  much  patience  is  required. 


TEMPERATURE  AT  TE WFIKEE YAH. 


Some  of  my  Egyptian  soldiers  were  good  plowmen,  to  which 
employment  they  had  been  formerly  accustomed;  but  the  bul- 
locks of  the  country  were  pig-headed  creatures  that  for  a  long 
time  resisted  all  attempts  at  conversion  to  the  civilized  labor  of 
Egyptian  cattle.  They  steadily  refused  to  draw  the  plows,  and 
they  determined  upon  an  "agricultural  strike."  They  had  not 
considered  that  we  could  strike  also,  and  tolerably  hard,  with  the 
hippopotamus-hide  whips,  which  were  a  more  forcible  appeal  to 
their  feelings  than  a  "  lock-out."  However,  this  contest  ended  in 
the  bullocks  lying  down,  and  thus  offering  a  passive  resistance 
that  could  not  be  overcome.  There  is  nothing  like  arbitration, 
to  obtain  pure  justice;  and  as  I  was  the  arbitrator,  I  ordered  all 
refractory  bullocks  to  be  eaten  as  rations  by  the  troops.  A  few 
animals  at  length  became  fairly  tractable,  and  we  had  a  couple 
of  plows  at  work ;  but  the  result  was  a  series  of  zigzag  furrows 
that  more  resembled  the  indiscriminate  plowings  of  a  herd  of 
wild  boar  than  the  effect  of  an  agricultural  implement.  Nothing- 
will  ever  go  straight  at  the  commencement,  therefore  the  plows 
naturally  went  crooked ;  but  the  whole  affair  forcibly  reminded 
me  of  my  first  agricultural  enterprise  on  the  mountains  of  Ceylon 
twenty-five  years  earlier.* 

The  mean  temperature  at  the  station  of  Tewfikeeyah  had 
been — 

In  the  month  of  May,  at  6  a.m.,  73^°  Fahrenheit, 
"at  Noon,  92x%° 
"       "        June, at  6  a.m.,  72^° 
"  .        "at  Noon,  86^° 
"       "        July,  at  6  a.m.,  71fo° 
"at  Noon,  81° 

During  May  we  had  heavy  rain  during  3  days. 

"     light     "      "     4    "        7  days. 
"     June     "     heavy    "      "     5  " 

"       "     light     "      "     6    "      11  " 
"     July     "     heavy    "      "    10  " 

"     light     "      "     4    "      14  " 

Sickness  increased  proportionately  with  the  increase  of  rain,  ow- 
ing to  the  sudden  chills  occasioned  by  the  heavy  showers.  The 
thermometer  would  sometimes  fall  rapidly  to  68°  Fahrenheit  dur- 
ing a  storm  of  rain,  accompanied  by  a  cold  rush  of  air  from  the 
cloud.  Fortunately  I  had  provided  the  troops  with  blankets, 
which  had  not  been  included  in  their  kit  by  the  authorities  at 
Khartoum. 


*  See  "Eight  Years'  Wanderings  in  Ceylon,"  published  by  Longman  &  Co. 


64 


ISMAILIA. 


CHAPTER  V. 

EXPLORATION  OF  THE  OLD  WHITE  NILE. 

I  HAD  long  since  determined  to  explore  the  sudd,  or  obstruc- 
tions of  the  main  Nile,  in  the  hope  of  discovering  some  new  pas- 
sage which  the  stream  had  forced  through  the  vegetation.  A 
Shillook,  named  Abdullah,  closely  connected  with  Quat  Kare, 
had  promised  to  accompany  me,  and  to  supply  the  necessary 
guides.   The  river  was  full ;  thus  I  started  on  August  11th,  1870. 

The  engines  of  the  No.  10  steamer  had  been  thoroughly  repair- 
ed during  our  stay  at  Tewfikeeyah.  I  had  loaded  her  to  the 
maximum  with  well-cut  "  soont "  (Acacia  Arabica),  which  is  the 
best  fuel;  and  knowing,  by  the  experience  of  former  years,  that 
a  scarcity  of  wood  existed  near  the  Bahr  Gazal,  I  had  loaded  one 
of  the  largest  vessels  (about  seventy  tons)  with  the  best  wood,  to 
accompany  us  as  a  tender.  I  had  also  filled  my  diahbeeah  with 
selected  fuel. 

We  steamed  thirteen  hours  from  Tewfikeeyah,  with  the  tender 
and  diahbeeah  in  tow,  and  reached  the  old  sudd  about  twelve 
miles  beyond  the  Bahr  Giraffe  junction.  The  water  below  the 
sudd  was  quite  clear  from  floating  vegetation,  as  it  had  been  fil- 
tered through  this  extraordinary  obstruction. 

I  will  not  fatigue  the  reader  by  a  description  of  this  voyage. 
We  were,  as  usual,  in  a  chaos  of  marshes.  We  found  a  small 
channel,  which  took  us  to  the  Bahr  Gazal.  This  swampy  and 
stagnant  lacustrine  river  was  much  changed  since  I  had  last  seen 
it  in  1865.  It  was  now  a  succession  of  lakes,  through  which  we 
steamed  for  several  hours,  but  without  discovering  any  exit,  ex- 
cept the  main  passage  coming  from  the  west,  which  is  the  actual 
Bahr  Gazal. 

This  was  the  third  time  that  I  had  visited  this  river.  Upon 
the  former  occasions  I  had  remarked  the  total  absence  of  current; 
this  was  even  still  more  remarkable  at  the  present  time,  as  the 
river  was  not  only  full,  but  the  surface,  formerly  clogged  and 
choked  with  dense  rafts  of  vegetation,  was  now  clear.  I  sounded 
the  depth  of  the  lakes  and  main  channel,  which  gave  a  remarka- 
ble mean  of  seven  feet  throughout,  showing  that  the  bottom  was 
perfectly  flat,  and  had  not  been  subjected  to  the  action  of  any 


THE  BARE  GAZAL. 


85 


stream  that  would  have  caused  inequalities  in  the  surface  of  the 
ground. 

When  the  vessels  lay  at  anchor,  the  filth  of  the  ships  remained 
alongside,  thus  proving  the  total  absence  of  stream.  It  has  al- 
ways appeared  to  me  that  some  western  outlet  concealed  by  the 
marsh  grass  must  exist,  which  carries  away  the  water  brought 
down  by  the  Djour  and  other  streams  into  the  lacustrine  regions 
of  the  Bahr  Gazal.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  evaporation,  and 
also  the  absorption  of  water  by  the  immense  area  of  spongy  veg- 
etation, is  a  great  drain  upon  the  volume  subscribed  by  the  afflu- 
ents from  the  south-west;  nevertheless  I  should  have  expected 
some  stream,  however  slight,  at  the  junction  with  the  Nile.  My 
experience  of  the  Bahr  Gazal  assures  me  that  little  or  no  water 
is  given  to  the  White  Nile  by  the  extraordinary  series  of  lakes 
and  swamps,  which  change  the  appearance  of  the  surface  from 
year  to  year,  like  the  shifting  phases  of  a  dream. 

Our  lamented  traveler,  Livingstone,  was  completely  in  error 
when  he  conjectured  that  the  large  river  Lualaba  that  he  had  dis- 
covered south-west  of  the  Tanganyike  Lake  was  an  affluent  of  the 
Bahr  Gazal.  The  Lualaba  is  far  to  the  west  of  the  Nile  Basin, 
and  may  possibly  flow  to  the  Congo.  I  have  shown  in  former 
works,  in  describing  the  system  of  the  Nile,  that  the  great  afflu- 
ents of  that  river  invariably  flow  from  the  south-east — vide  the 
Atbara,  Blue  Nile,  Sobat;  and  the  Asua,  which  is  very  inferior  to 
the  three  great  rivers  named. 

We  have,  lastly,  the  Victoria  Nile,  of  the  Victoria  N'yanza, 
following  the  same  principle,  and  flowing  from  the  south-east  to 
the  Albert  N'yanza.  This  proves  that  the  direct  drainage  of  the 
Nile  Basin  is  from  the  south-east  to  the  north-west;  it  is  there- 
fore probable  that,  as  the  inclination  of  the  country  is  toward  the 
west,  there  may  be  some  escape  from  the  lake  marshes  of  the 
Bahr  Gazal  in  the  same  direction. 

On  August  21st,  having  been  absent  ten  days,  during  which  we 
had  been  very  hard  at  work  exploring  in  the  unhealthy  marshes 
of  the  Bahr  Gazal,  we  returned  hopelessly  to  Tewfikeeyah. 

The  great  river  Nile  was  entirely  lost,  and  had  become  a  swamp 
similar  to  the  condition  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe.  It  was  impossible 
to  guess  the  extent  of  the  obstruction ;  but  I  was  confident  that 
it  would  be  simply  a  question  of  time  and  labor  to  clear  the  orig- 
inal channel  by  working  from  below  the  stream.  The  great 
power  of  the  current  would  assist  the  work,  and  with  proper 
management  this  formerly  beautiful  river  might  be  restored  to 
its  original  condition.    It  would  be  impossible  to  clear  the  Bahr 


36 


ISMAILlA. 


Giraffe  permanently,  as  there  was  not  sufficient  breadth  of  chan- 
nel to  permit  the  escape  of  huge  rafts  of  vegetation  occupying 
the  surface  of  perhaps  an  acre;  but  the  great  width  of  the  Nile/ 
if  once  opened,  together  with  the  immense  power  of  the  stream, 
would,  with  a  little  annual  inspection,  assure  the  permanency  of 
the  work. 

I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  a  special  expedition  must  be  sent 
from  Khartoum  to  take  this  important  work  in  hand,  as  it  would 
be  quite  useless  to  annex  and  attempt  to  civilize  Central  Africa, 
unless  a  free  communication  existed  with  the  outer  world  by 
which  a  commercial  channel  could  be  opened.  My  exploration, 
in  which  I  had  been  ably  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Baker  and  Mr. 
Higginbotham,  had  proved  that  for  the  present  it  was  impossible 
to  penetrate  south  by  the  main  river,  therefore  I  must  make  all 
preparations  for  an  advance  by  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  where  I  hoped 
that  our  past  labor  might  have  in  some  degree  improved  the 
channel. 

The  close  of  August  showed  a  mean  temperature  of  73XV  at 
6.  A.M,  and  85°  Fahrenheit  at  noon,  with  seven  days  of  heavy  and 
seven  of  light  rain.  Although  the  station  was  admirably  drain- 
ed, the  climate  acted  unfavorably  upon  the  people.  On  Septem- 
ber 9th  it  was  necessary  for  the  unfortunate  Dr.  Gedge,  my  chief 
medical  officer,  to  return  to  Khartoum,  as  his  state  of  health  re- 
quired immediate  change. 

Just  as  the  diahbeeah  was  leaving  the  station,  a  vessel  arrived 
from  the  Bahr  Gazal,  by  which  I  received  a  letter  from  the  Ger- 
man traveler,  Dr.  Schweinfurth.  This  gentleman,  to  whom  I  was 
quite  unknown  personally,  had  the  extreme  courtesy  and  gener- 
osity to  intrust  me  with  all  the  details  of  his  geographical  obser- 
vations collected  in  his  journey  in  the  Western  Nile  basin. 

It  was  necessary  for  me  to  return  personally  to  Khartoum  to 
assure  myself  that  my  arrangements  should  be  carried  out  with- 
out delay.  I  had  determined  that  the  expedition  should  start  for 
the  south  from  Tewflkeeyah  on  December  1st,  at  which  time  the 
Nile  would  be  full,  and  the  wind  strong  from  the  north.  As 
Tewflkeeyah  was  nearly  half-way  in  actual  distance  from  Khar- 
toum to  Gondokoro,  I  trusted  that  we  should  have  time  to  ac- 
complish the  work  of  cutting  through  the  marshes,  and  be  ena- 
bled to  pass  the  shallows  before  the  river  should  begin  to  fall. 
I  therefore  sent  Mr.  Higginbotham  to  Khartoum  to  engage  ves- 
sels; I  followed  on  September  15th,  with  the  No.  10  steamer  tow- 
ing my  diahbeeah — and  ten  empty  vessels  to  bring  up  a  supply 
of  corn. 


NO  MEANS  OF  TRANSPORT. 


*7 


We  reached  Khartoum  September  21st,  at  9.30  A.M.,  to  the  as- 
tonishment of  the  governor  and  population,  who  could  not  un- 
derstand why  I  had  returned.  I  now  met  for  the  first  time  the 
Vicomte  de  Bizemont,  who  was  to  accompany  the  expedition. 
This  gentleman  had  been  intrusted  by  the  Empress  of  the  French 
with  a  very  gracious  token  of  her  interest  in  the  expedition,  which 
he  presented  as  a  gift  from  her  Majesty  to  my  wife.  I  now  heard 
for  the  first  time  the  startling  news  of  the  war  between  France 
and  Prussia.  I  found  Dr.  Gedge  alive,  but  in  a  deplorable  state 
of  health.  It  was  impossible  for  him  to  travel  north ;  therefore 
he  was  carefully  attended  by  the  Greek  physician  to  the  forces, 
Dr.  Georgis.  I  at  once  saw  that  there  was  no  hope  of  recovery. 
Mr.  Higginbotham  had  been  exceedingly  kind  and  attentive  to 
his  wants. 

I  was  very  well  received  by  my  old  friend,  Djiaffer  Pasha,  the 
governor-general,  but  as  usual  the  work  was  all  behindhand,  and 
Mr.  Higginbotham  had  been  in  despair  until  my  arrival.  Only 
seven  vessels  were  forthcoming.  I  had  expected  thirty !  Thus 
it  would  again  be  impossible  to  transport  the  camels  that  were 
indispensable  for  the  transport  of  the  steamers  from  Gondokoro. 
This  was  very  heart-breaking.  Instead  of  completing  the  expe- 
dition by  a  general  direct  move  south  with  all  material,  transport 
animals,  stores,  etc.,  in  traveling  order,  the  operation  would  ex- 
tend over  some  years,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  government 
had  not  the  means  of  transport.  Even  now  the  steamers  had  not 
arrived  from  Cairo.  The  fifteen  large  sloops  had  failed  to  pass 
the  cataract  ;  thus  I  was  reduced  to  the  miserable  open  vessels 
of  Khartoum,  and  even  these  were  of  an  inferior  description  and 
few  in  number.  Fortunately  I  had  brought  ten  empty  vessels 
with  me  from  Tewfikeeyah,  otherwise  we  should  not  have  had 
sufficient  transport  for  the  necessary  supply  of  corn.  However, 
now  that  I  had  arrived,  things  began  to  move  a  little  faster.  I 
find  this  entry  in  my  journal,  dated  "October  1st,  1870.  Ther- 
mometer, 6  A.M.,  80°  ;  noon,  94°.  Wind,  north.  The  fact  of  my 
having  captured  the  boats  of  Kutchuk  Ali  and  Agad  with  slaves 
on  board  has  determined  a  passive  but  stubborn  resistance  in 
Khartoum  to  the  expedition.    This  is  shared  by  the  officials. 

"Although  I  wrote  to  Djiaffer  Pasha  months  ago,  requesting 
him  to  send  me  thirty  vessels,  there  is  not  one  actually  ready, 
neither  are  there  more  than  seven  to  be  obtained.  Even  these 
are  not  prepared  for  the  journey.  The  object  appears  to  be  to 
cause  such  delay  as  shall  throw  me  back  until  the  river  shall  be 
too  low  for  the  passage  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe. 


ISHAILlA. 


"October  2. — I  wrote  an  official  letter  to  Djiaffer  Pasha,  pro- 
testing against  delay,  and  reminding  him  of  the  Khedive's  in- 
structions." 

The  only  authority  who,  I  believe,  takes  a  real  interest  in  the 
expedition  is  Ismail  Bey,  who  is  a  highly  intellectual  and  clever 
man.  This  Bey  is  the  President  of  the  Council,  and  I  have 
known  him  during  many  years.  He  speaks  excellent  French, 
and  is  more  European  in  his  ideas  than  any  of  my  acquaint- 
ances.* 

The  action  that  I  had  taken  against  the  proceedings  of  the 
Governor  of  Fashoda  was  very  distasteful  to  the  Khartoum  pub- 
lic. I  much  regretted  the  necessity,  but  I  could  not  have  acted 
otherwise.  This  complication  placed  my  friend  Djiaffer  Pasha 
in  a  most  unpleasant  position,  as  the  Koordi  of  Fashoda  was  his 
employe ;  it  would  therefore  appear  that  no  great  vigilance  had 
been  exercised  by  the  governor -general  at  Khartoum,  and  sus- 
picions might  be  aroused  that  the  character  and  acts  of  the 
Fashoda  governor  must  have  been  previously  known  to  the 
Khartoum  authorities. 

The  curtain  began  to  rise,  and  disclosed  certain  facts  of  which 
I  ought  to  have  been  informed  many  months  ago,  when  I  first 
arrived  at  Khartoum.  I  heard  from  Mr.  Higginbotham  that  the 
principal  trader  of  the  White  Nile  (Agad)  had  a  contract  with 
the  government,  which  gave  him  the  exclusive  right  of  trading 
throughout  certain  distant  countries.  This  area  comprised  about 
ninety  thousand  square  miles/  Thus,  at  the  same  time  that  I  was 
employed  by  the  Khedive  to  suppress  the  slave-trade,  to  estab- 
lish commerce,  and  to  annex  the  Nile  basin,  the  White  Nile 
countries  that  were  to  be  annexed  had  already  been  leased  by 
the  governor-general  of  the  Soudan  for  several  thousand  pounds 
sterling  per  annum,  together  with  the  monoply  of  the  ivory 
trade. 

A  country  that  was  in  no  way  connected  with  Egypt,  and 
over  which  Egypt  had  no  more  authority  than  England  has  over 
China,  had  actually  been  leased  out  to  adventurers  of  the  class 
known  as  merchants  at  Khartoum,  but  thoroughly  well  known 
to  the  authorities  as  slave-hunters  of  the  greatest  renown. 

It  was  hardly  credible  that  such  dust  should  be  thrown  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Khedive,  after  the  stringent  orders  he  had  given ; 
but  Egypt  is  celebrated  for  dust;  the  Soudan  is  little  else  but 
dust;  therefore  we  must  make  some  allowance  for  the  blindness 

*  Since  this  was  written  Ismail  Bey  has  become  Pasha,  and  is  governor  of  the 
Khartoum  province. 


A  HARD  CASE. 


89 


of  the  authorities.  My  eyes  had  evidently  been  rilled  with  Khar- 
toum dust;  for  it  was  only  now  upon  my  return  from  Tewfi- 
keeyah  that  I  discovered  that  which  should  have  been  made 
known  to  me  upon  my  first  arrival  from  Cairo  to  command  the 
expedition.  It  was  the  trader  and  lessee,  Sheik  Achmet  Agad, 
who  had  applied  to  Mr.  Higgiubotham  as  a  mediator,  and  he 
stated  clearly  a  case  of  great  hardship.  He  had  paid  annually 
about  three  thousand  pounds  for  the  sole  right  of  trading.  Thus, 
if  he  paid  rent  for  a  monoply  of  the  ivory,  and  the  government 
then  started  as  traders  in  ivory  in  the  country  leased  to  him,  he 
would  be  in  the  same  position  as  a  man  who  rented  a  cow  at  a 
fixed  sum  per  week,  but  the  owner,  nevertheless,  insisted  upon 
a  right  to  her  milk. 

It  would  be  a  hard  case  upon  the  traders  at  any  rate,  even 
should  they  trade  with  equal  rights  to  the  government. 

There  was  no  actual  bartering  of  merchandise  for  ivory,  nei- 
ther was  any  merchandise  shipped  from  Khartoum,  except  that 
required  as  clothing  for  the  people  who  belonged  to  the  slave- 
hunters'  companies.  If  an  honest,  legitimate  trade  were  com- 
menced by  the  government,  and  law  and  order  thoroughly  estab- 
lished, it  would  become  impossible  for  the  slave-hunters  to  exist 
in  the  White  Nile  districts.  Their  so-called  trade  consisted  in 
harrying  one  country  to  procure  cattle  and  slaves,  which  they 
exchanged  for  ivory  in  other  districts.  If  a  government  were 
established,  such  razzias  must  cease  at  once,  and  the  Khartoum 
traders  would  be  without  an  occupation. 

I  had  originally  proposed  that  the  districts  of  the  White  Nile 
south  of  latitude  14°  N.  should  be  placed  under  my  command ; 
this,  for  some  unexplained  reason,  was  reduced  to  latitude  5°  N. ; 
thus  leaving  the  whole  navigable  river  free  from  Grondokoro  to 
Khartoum,  unless  I  should  assume  the  responsibility  of  liber- 
ating slaves  and  seizing  the  slavers  wherever  I  might  find  them. 
This  power  I  at  once  assumed  and  exercised,  although  I  purpose- 
ly avoided  landing  and  visiting  the  slave-hunters'  stations  that 
were  not  within  my  jurisdiction.  I  regarded  the  river  as  we 
regard  the  high  seas. 

It  was  clearly  contrary  to  all  ideas  of  equity  that  the  govern- 
ment should  purchase  ivory  in  countries  that  had  been  leased  to 
the  traders.  I  was  therefore  compelled  to  investigate  the  matter, 
with  the  assistance  of  Djiaffer  Pasha,  who  had  made  the  contract 
in  the  name  of  the  government.  It  was  then  explained  that  the 
entire  White  Nile  was  rented  by  the  traders.  The  government 
had  assumed  the  right  and  monoply  of  the  river,  and  in  fact  of 


90 


ISMAILlA. 


any  part  of  Africa  that  could  be  reached  south  of  Khartoum ; 
thus  no  trader  was  permitted  to  establish  himself,  or  even  to  start 
from  Khartoum  for  the  interior,  until  he  should  have  obtained  a 
lease  from  the  government.  If  Central  Africa  had  been  already 
annexed,  and  the  Egyptian  government  had  been  established 
throughout  the  country,  I  should  not  have  complained;  but  I 
now  found  that  my  mission  from  the  Khedive  placed  me  within 
"  a  house  divided  against  itself.1'  I  was  to  annex  a  country  that 
was  already  leased  out  by  the  government. 

My  task  was  to  suppress  the  slave-trade,  when  the  Khartoum 
authorities  well  knew  that  their  tenants  were  slave-hunters;  to 
establish  legitimate  commerce  where  the  monoply  of  the  trade 
had  already  been  leased  to  traders;  and  to  build  up  a  govern- 
ment upon  sound  and  just  principles  that  must  of  necessity  ruin 
the  slave-hunting  and  ivory-collecting  parties  of  Khartoum. 

It  was  easy  to  conceive  that  my  mission  was  regarded  as  fatal 
to  the  interests  of  the  Soudan.  Although  the  actual  wording  of 
the  contracts  was  pure,  and  the  lessees  bound  themselves  to  ab- 
stain from  slave-hunting,  and  to  behave  in  a  becoming  manner, 
it  was  thoroughly  understood  that  they  were  simply  to  pay  a 
good  round  sum  per  annum,  punctually,  and  that  no  questions 
would  be  asked.  There  were  no  authorities  of  the  government 
in  those  distant  countries,  neither  consular  agents  to  send  home 
unpleasant  reports ;  thus,  when  fairly  away  from  all  restraint, 
the  traders  could  act  as  they  pleased.  It  appears  hardly  credi- 
ble that,  although  the  wording  of  the  contracts  was  almost  holy, 
no  examination  of  the  vessels  was  made  before  their  departure 
from  Khartoum.  Had  the  Soudan  government  been  sincere  in 
a  determination  to  lease  out  the  White  Nile  for  the  purpose  of 
benefiting  the  country  by  the  establishment  of  legitimate  com- 
merce, surely  the  authorities  would  have  convinced  themselves 
that  the  traders'  vessels  contained  cargoes  of  suitable  merchan- 
dise, instead  of  being  loaded  with  ammunition,  and  manned  by 
bands  of  armed  pirates. 

If  the  owner  of  a  pack  of  wolves  were  to  send  them  on  a  com- 
mission to  gather  wool  from  a  flock  of  sheep,  with  the  simple  pro- 
tection of  such  parting  advice  as  "Begone,  good  wolves;  behave 
yourselves  like  lambs,  and  do  not  hurt  the  mutton!"  the  propri- 
etor of  the  pack  would  be  held  responsible  for  the  acts  of  his 
wolves.  This  was  the  situation  in  the  Soudan.  The  entire 
country  was  leased  out  to  piratical  slave-hunters,  under  the  name 
of  traders,  by  the  Khartoum  government;  and  although  the  rent, 
in  the  shape  of  large  sums  of  money,  had  been  received  for  years 


SINCERITY  OF  THE  EIIEDIVE. 


91 


into  the  treasury  of  the  Soudan,  my  expedition  was  to  explode 
like  a  shell  among  the  traders,  and  would  at  once  annihilate  the 
trade.  I  now  understood  the  reason  for  the  alteration  in  my 
proposed  territorial  limit  from  the  14°  N.  lat.  to  the  5°.  Khar- 
toum is  in  lat.  15°  35'  N. ;  Gondokoro  is  N.  lat.  4°  54'.  Thus,  if 
my  jurisdiction  should  be  reduced  to  the  south  of  Gondokoro, 
the  usual  traffic  of  the  White  Nile  might  continue  in  the  north 
during  my  absence  in  the  south,  and  the  original  contracts  would 
be  undisturbed. 

It  is  a  duty  that  I  owe  to  the  Khedive  of  Egypt  to  explain 
these  details.  It  would  at  first  sight  appear  that  the  expedition 
to  suppress  the  slave-trade  was  merely  a  theatrical  announcement 
to  court  the  sympathy  of  Europe,  but  which,  in  reality,  had  no 
solidity.  I  am  perfectly  convinced  that  the  Khedive  was  thor- 
oughly sincere  in  his  declared  purpose  of  suppressing  the  slave- 
trade,  not  only  as  a  humanitarian,  but  as  an  enlightened  man  of 
the  world,  who  knew,  from  the  example  of  the  great  Powers  of 
Europe,  that  the  time  had  arrived  when  civilization  demanded 
the  extinction  of  such  horrors  as  were  the  necessary  adjuncts 
of  the  slave-trade.  The  Khedive  had  thus  determined  to  annex 
the  Nile  basin,  and  establish  his  government,  which  would  afford 
protection,  and  open  an  immense  country  to  the  advantages  of 
commerce.  This  reform  must  be  the  death-blow  to  the  so-called 
traders  of  Khartoum,  who  were  positively  the  tenants  of  the  gov- 
ernor-general of  the  Soudan. 

The  expedition  of  the  Khedive,  launched  with  admirable  de- 
termination on  his  part,  was  thus  inimical  to  every  local  interest, 
and  was  in  direct  opposition  to  public  opinion.  It  was,  therefore, 
a  natural  consequence  that  pressure  should  be  exerted  by  every 
interest  against  the  governor- general  of  the  Soudan.  Djiaffer 
Pasha  was  an  old  friend  of  mine,  for  whom  I  had  a  great  person- 
al regard,  and  I  regretted  the  false  position  in  which  both  he  and 
I  were  placed.  My  title  and  position  as  Governor -general  of 
Central  Africa  to  a  certain  extent  weakened  his  authority. 

He  had  by  the  force  of  circumstances,  and  according  to  former 
usages,  so  far  tolerated  the  acts  of  the  White  Nile  traders  as  to 
acknowledge  them  as  contracting  parties  with  his  own  govern- 
ment. The  most  important  lessee  had  no  less  than  ten  stations 
situated  within  the  territory  under  my  jurisdiction,  for  which  he 
was  paying  a  large  annual  rent.  I  knew,  and  the  lessee,  Sheik 
Achmet  Agad,  well  knew,  that  his  so-called  trade  was  simply 
brigandage.  My  former  travels,  as  described  in  "The  Albert 
N'yanza,"  had  led  me  behind  the  curtain,  and  the  traders  were 


92 


ISMAILlA. 


well  aware  that  I  knew  every  secret  of  their  atrocities;  thus  my 
re-appearance  upon  the  scene  with  the  rank  of  pasha  and  major- 
general,  at  the  head  of  a  small  army,  together  with  the  possession 
of  absolute  and  supreme  power,  threw  the  entire  population  into 
a  state  of  consternation.  The  traders,  as  Mohammedans  and  sub- 
jects, trusted  to  the  protection  of  their  own  governor -general. 
Already  I  had  captured  their  vessels,  imprisoned  their  agents, 
liberated  their  slaves,  and  confiscated  the  ivory,  subject  to  the 
decision  of  the  Khedive.  Already  I  had  caught  the  governor 
himself  (Ali  Bey  of  Fashoda)  in  the  act  of  kidnaping  helpless 
women  and  children,  whom  I  had  immediately  insisted  upon 
liberating,  although  I  had  no  legal  jurisdiction  in  his  province. 
I  simply  depended  upon  the  personal  support  of  the  Khedive, 
whose  sincerity  I  never  doubted;  thus  I  acted  as  I  firmly  be- 
lieved the  Khedive  would  have  desired  me  to  act  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. The  Khedive  proved  that  my  confidence  in  his 
sincerity  was  well  founded.  He  at  once  dismissed  from  his 
service  and  disgraced  the  Governor  of  Fashoda.  These  facts 
cast  shadows  of  coming  events ;  the  Soudan  authorities  were 
compromised ;  my  interference  in  the  Shillook  country  was  nat- 
urally distasteful  to  the  governor  -  general.  Both  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Soudan  and  the  traders  at  Khartoum  perceived  that 
I  should  act  in  strict  accordance  with  the  instructions  I  had  re- 
ceived from  the  Khedive.  There  was  no  hope  left,  except  in 
delays,  that  might  render  an  advance  impossible  with  a  heavily- 
laden  fleet  through  the  obstructions  of  the  river. 

It  was  necessary  to  modify  the  terms  of  the  contract  entered 
into  between  the  governor  -  general  and  Sheik  Achmet  Agad. 
This  trader  represented  his  case  to  me  as  one  of  considerable  in- 
justice, which  I  was  forced  to  acknowledge.  As  a  mark  of  re- 
spect to  DjiafTer  Pasha,  who  had  originally  entered  into  the  con- 
tract, I  requested  him  to  arrange  the  terms  of  the  new  agreement, 
together  with  myself,  in  the  public  divan.  It  was  argued  by 
Sheik  Achmet  Agad  that  the  fact  of  the  government  being  es- 
tablished in  countries  where  he  had  been  independent  would 
cause  a  great  loss  to  his  trade,  as  it  would  upset  the  confidence 
of  the  natives,  and  they  would  cease  to  bring  ivory  for  sale.  In 
reality,  this  argument  should  be  interpreted,  "  If  the  government 
is  established,  there  will  be  an  end  to  our  razzias,  and  we  shall 
have  neither  slaves  nor  cattle  to  offer  in  exchange  for  ivory." 

He  also  justly  argued  that  "  it  would  be  unfair  should  the  gov- 
ernment purchase  ivory  from  countries  already  leased  for  trading- 
purposes  to  the  merchant." 


ABOU  SAOOD. 


93 


I  therefore  arranged  that,  until  the  expiration  of  his  original 
contract,  no  ivory  should  be  purchased  by  the  government. 

Also,  that  instead  of  the  money  payment  now  annually  made 
to  the  government,  the  rent  should  be  paid  in  ivory,  at  the  rate 
of  two-fifths  of  the  amount  collected.  The  ivory  was  to  be  de- 
livered and  weighed  in  Gondokoro,  at  which  place  the  rent  was 
to  be  paid  to  the  government  in  tusks. 

The  original  contract  would  expire  on  April  9th,  1872. 

My  hands  were  to  a  certain  extent  tied  by  these  engagements, 
but  I  resolved  that  at  the  expiration  of  the  term  I  should  as- 
sume a  monopoly  of  the  ivory  trade  for  the  government,  on  the 
principle  of  the  fur  trade  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company ;  as  it 
would  be  impossible  to  permit  the  acts  of  the  Khartoum  traders, 
who,  I  was  convinced,  would  never  deal  honestly  with  the  na- 
tives. 

The  working  representative  of  Sheik  Achmet  A  gad  was  his 
son-in-law,  a  man  named  Abou  Saood  :  I  had  seen  this  person 
when  at  Tewflkeeyah ;  he  fcad  arrived  in  charge  of  several  ves- 
sels from  Gondokoro  during  the  rainy  season,  when  the  flooded 
river  and  strong  south  wind  had  allowed  the  passage  of  his  boats. 
At  that  time  he  had  no  slaves  on  board,  but  I  subsequently  dis- 
covered that  upon  hearing  that  I  had  formed  a  station  near  the 
Sobat,  he  had  discharged  a  large  cargo  of  slaves  at  the  station  of 
Kutchuk  Ali,  on  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  so  as  to  pass  Tewflkeeyah  in  a 
state  of  innocence  and  purity,  and  thus  save  the  confiscation  of 
his  ivory.  This  man  was  present  at  the  divan  when  the  final 
agreement  was  signed  by  myself  and  his  principal.  He  vowed 
fidelity  in  so  forcible  a  manner  that  I  entertained  serious  doubts 
of  his  sincerity.  An  arrangement  was  entered  into  that  he  was 
to  supply  the  government  troops  with  beef,  mutton,  butter,  etc., 
together  with  the  native  carriers  for  the  transport  of  baggage, 
stores,  etc.,  at  an  established  rate  then  agreed  upon ;  the  provis- 
ions were  to  be  delivered  from  the  resources  at  his  command  at 
his  various  stations.  In  the  event  of  any  native  war,  he  was  to 
furnish  assistance  when  called  upon  by  the  government  for  irreg- 
ular troops,  of  which  he  had  about  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
in  the  districts  included  in  my  territory. 

I  did  not  admire  the  personal  appearance  of  Abou  Saood.  A 
judge  of  physiognomy  would  have  objected  to  the  downcast 
look  of  humility,  the  tmcertain  squint  of  one  eye,  the  furtive  ex- 
pression of  countenance,  added  to  the  ultra-holiness  of  his  ejacu- 
lations when  called  upon  for  an  answer,  and  the  pious  cant  of  his 
protestation  against  all  wrong-doings.    At  the  same  time  that  he 

8 


J  SM A  ILIA. 


was  acting  the  part  of  saint,  I  knew  him  to  be  a  bird  of  the  same 
feather  as  the  rest  of  the  White  Nile  slave-hunters. 

Some  little  diplomacy  was  necessary  to  smooth  the  troubled 
waters  of  Khartoum.  I  made  every  allowance  for  the  passive 
obstructiveness  of  the  authorities ;  it  was  perfectly  natural,  under 
the  circumstances,  of  a  sudden  reform  that  affected  materially  the 
interests  of  the  entire  population,  both  high  and  low.  At  the 
same  time,  it  was  necessary  to  win  the  game.  I  was  much  at- 
tached to  Djiaffer  Pasha  in  his  unofficial  capacity,  as  I  could  nev- 
er forget  the  kindness  that  I  had  received  from  him  at  Souakim, 
when  he  welcomed  my  wife  and  myself  on  our  return  from  a 
long  and  arduous  expedition.  He  was  a  perfectly  honest  man  in 
his  dealings,  and  most  generous  to  all  around  him.  His  great  de- 
sire was  to  earn  a  good  reputation ;  thus  he  was  not  sufficiently 
vigilant  or  severe  with  the  sub-officials  throughout  the  vast  terri- 
tory which  he  governed. 

He  had  formerly  been  an  admiral  in  the  Egyptian  navy,  and 
he  had  visited  England,  where  hir  had  learned  to  respect  the 
English  name  of  "gentleman."  To  be  considered  a  "gentle- 
man "  (which  he  pronounced  in  English),  was  in  his  estimation  a 
great  honor. 

I  was  delighted  with  the  lasting  impression  that  had  been  made 
by  the  manners  of  our  country ;  and  certainly,  in  courtesy  and 
hospitality,  Djiaffer  Pasha  thoroughly  represented  the  qualities 
of  the  name  he  coveted.  Whenever  we  differed  in  opinion  upon 
official  matters,  we  were  always  cordial  in  our  private  capacity. 
One  evening,  at  an  entertainment  that  he  had  kindly  given,  he 
amused  me  with  a  little  anecdote  connected  with  a  voyage  he 
had  made  to  Marseilles  when  in  command  of  a  frigate  during  the 
reign  of  Louis  Philippe.  The  vessel  was  moored  close  to  the 
quay.  In  the  afternoon  a  French  military  band  played  several 
airs,  which  Djiaffer  Pasha  considered  were  performed  as  a  com- 
pliment to  the  Egyptian  flag.  He  therefore  determined  to  return 
the  politeness.  Accordingly  he  summoned  his  own  band,  and 
ordered  them  to  perform  in  honor  of  the  French  who  had  so 
warmly  received  him.  With  a  view  to  an  exhibition  of  good 
taste  in  Marseilles,  he  selected  the  "  Marseillaise !"  as  an  air  that 
would  be  recognized  and  appreciated  by  .the  French  as  a  compli- 
ment from  an  Egyptian  frigate. 

No  sooner  had  the  band  in  full  vigor  struck  up  the  forbidden 
air,  when  a  great  excitement  was  produced.  Crowds  at  once  as- 
sembled on  the  quay  !  Loud  cheering  commenced.  A  chorus 
of  voices  shouted  the  song  of  revolution  !    This  was  a  great  sue- 


NEWS  ARRIVES  OF  SEDAN. 


95 


cess;  Djiaffer  Pasha  was  delighted  with  the  effect  of  his  com- 
pliment. His  band,  thus  encouraged,  played  still  more  vigorous- 
ly, until  the  harmony  was  suddenly  interrupted  by  an  official  visit 
of  the  police  in  strong  force.  An  explanation  took  place,  and 
the  astonished  and  polite  Djiaffer  Pasha  learned  with  horror  that 
he  had  insulted  the  French  government ! 

On  October  6th  the  post  arrived  from  Cairo  with  the  astound- 
ing news  of  the  battle  of  Sedan,  the  capture  of  the  Emperor  Na- 
poleon, the  revolution  in  Paris,  and  the  fall  of  the  Napoleon  dy- 
nasty !  Never  were  so  many  grave  events  condensed  in  one 
dispatch.  I  felt  much  for  De  Bizemont:  he  had  become  a  gen- 
eral favorite,  and  I  had  received  him  con  amore  as  one  of  our 
party.  This  was  a  blow  too  terrible  even  for  his  high  spirit. 
He  had  received  the  greatest  kindness  from  the  emperor  and 
empress,  and  his  loyalty  was  shown  by  the  deepest  grief,  and  an 
immediate  resolve  to  give  up  the  expedition,  and  to  return  to 
share  the  trembling  fortunes  of  his  country.  We  had  ourselves 
received  much  kindness  from  the  empress.  Only  a  few  days  be- 
fore this  grave  news  arrived  my  wife  had  received  a  token  from 
her  majesty,  graciously  bestowed  when  she  was  in  power  and 
prosperity.  This  was  now  more  deeply  prized,  since  adversity 
had  fallen  so  heavily  upon  her. 

De  Bizemont  had  vigorously  commenced  his  work  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  expedition  by  accompanying  the  sections  of  the  third 
steamer  from  Cairo  to  Berber.  The  desert  journey  was  intrusted 
to  the  great  sheik  of  the  Arabs,  Hussein  Halifa,  who  had  already 
so  notably  distinguished  himself  in  the  transport  of  the  two  steam- 
ers that  had  arrived  with  Mr.  Higginbotham.  I  was  very  sorry 
to  say  good-bye,  and  I  parted  with  De  Bizemont  and  his  com- 
panion, Le  Blanc,  with  sincere  regret. 

I  had  now  set  every  thing  in  order;  the  vessels  were  loaded. 
On  October  10th,  1870, 1  find  this  entry  in  my  journal : 

"  Started  for  Tewfikeeyah.  Thankful  to  be  free  from  that  hate- 
ful spot,  Khartoum.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  misery  of  the  place 
at  this  season.  No  drainage — mud — dense  population,  with  ex- 
aggerated stench.  These  enemies  to  civilization  have  at  length 
vanquished  the  European  settlers. 

"Djiaffer  Pasha,  accompanied  by  all  the  big  people,  came  on 
board  to  take  an  official  farewell :  embracing — bands  of  music — 
salutes  of  cannon — steam  up,  and  off,  thank  God ! — I  with  a  hor- 
rid cold,  and  Julian  with  nasty  fever." 

We  were  short  of  hands  for  wood-cutting;  thus  we  only  ar- 
rived at  Tewfikeeyah  on  October  22d.    The  river  was  now  at  its 


96 


ISMAILlA. 


maximum,  and  had  risen  at  this  spot  from  the  lowest  level  of  the 
dry  season,  fourteen  feet  and  one  inch. 

We  were  now  busily  employed,  as  I  had  arranged  to  start  the 
first  division  of  the  fleet  for  Gondokoro  on  December  1st. 

On  October  25th  several  vessels  attempted  to  pass  the  station 
with  slaves.    All  were  captured,  and  the  slaves  liberated. 

"  Many  of  the  women  slaves  who  were  released  from  the  slave 
vessels  at  the  first  capture  seemed  thoroughly  to  realize  the  prin- 
ciple of  1  liberty  fraternity  egalite,1  as  they  ran  away  during  the 
night,  not  only  with  their  new  clothes  recently  given  them  by  the 
government,  but  they  also  stole  some  of  the  soldier's  kit.  It  is 
very  difficult  to  manage  these  people.  The  fact  of  their  having 
been  kidnaped  by  the  slave-hunters  destroys  all  confidence,  and 
they  can  not  understand  their  true  position.  It  is  difficult  to 
persuade  them  that  the  government  has  interfered  in  their  behalf 
simply  with  a  view  to  their  welfare ;  they  imagine  that  the  gov- 
ernment has  some  ulterior  object  in  their  release,  and  many  have 
a  strong  suspicion  that  they  may  at  some  future  time  be  trans- 
ported to  some  distant  country  and  sold.  They  have  been  so 
often  deceived  that  they  can  not  understand  the  truth ;  and  hav- 
ing been  accustomed  to  brutal  treatment,  they  can  not  compre- 
hend the  intention  of  kindness,  which  they  attribute  to  a  wish 
to  deceive  them.  This  is  a  dreadful  state  of  moral  degradation, 
which  nothing  but  time  and  patience  will  overcome." 

On  November  23d  the  wind  began  steadily  from  the  north.  I 
was  nearly  ready.  Every  vessel  had  been  thoroughly  repaired, 
but  many  were  so  rotten  that  the  calking  was  considered  by  the 
English  shipwrights  as  quite  unreliable  for  a  long  voyage.  I 
had  dragged  the  iron  diahbeeah  out  of  the  water,  and  had  substi- 
tuted new  plates  in  many  places  where  the  metal  was  honey- 
combed with  rust.  The  plate  that  had  been  pierced  by  the  tusks 
of  the  hippopotamus  was  removed,  as  it  proved  to  be  very  de- 
fective, and  could  be  broken  through  with  the  sharp  blow  of 
a  heavy  hammer;  therefore  it  was  not  astonishing  that  it  had 
been  so  easily  penetrated  by  the  sharp  ivory  of  so  powerful  an 
animal. 

When  the  diahbeeah  was  re-launched,  I  had  her  thoroughly 
painted  inside  and  out.  In  the  mean  time,  I  had  formed  a  Eob- 
inson-Crusoe-like  house,  comprising  two  small  rooms,  open  on  the 
river-side,  but  secured  at  night  and  morning  by  simple  Venetian 
blinds.  The  three  sides  were  closed  with  planks.  I  had  paved 
the  floor  with  the  cast-iron  plates  of  the  steamer's  engine-room  : 
thus  it  was  both  level  and  proof  against  the  white  ants.    The  two 


A  THEFT  AT  NIGHT. 


97 


rooms  were  separated  by  a  partition  with  a  door  -  way,  but  no 
door.  I  had  not  resided  in  a  house  since  I  first  occupied  the 
diahbeeah,  ten  months  ago,  as  the  vessel  was  more  convenient. 

On  November  29th,  at  about  four  A.M.,  I  was  awakened  by  a 
noise  in  the  adjoining  room.  My  bedstead  was  exactly  opposite 
the  partition  door- way ;  that  of  my  wife  was  on  the  other  side 
of  the  room.  At  first  I  thought  the  sound  proceeded  from  rats 
scampering  over  the  tin  boxes ;  but  upon  listening  attentively,  I 
distinctly  heard  the  lid  of  a  metal  box  opened  by  some  person, 
and  again  carefully  closed. 

After  a  few  moments,  I  heard  another  box  open,  and  a  sound 
as  though  some  one  was  searching  among  the  contents. 

Unfortunately  my  bedstead  was  the  most  horrible  creaker,  in 
which  it  was  impossible  to  turn  without  producing  a  noise  that 
would  create  an  alarm  should  a  thief  be  on  the  alert. 

I  always  slept  with  a  pistol  under  my  pillow,  therefore  I  gently 
grasped  the  revolver  in  my  hand,  and  endeavored  quietly  to  get 
out  of  my  noisy  bed. 

The  wretched  piece  of  furniture  gave  the  most  alarming  creak ; 
this  was  immediately  succeeded  by  a  sound  in  the  next  room  of 
the  sudden  closing  of  a  box,  and  the  movement  of  some  person. 
I  could  not  be  sure  that  it  was  not  Lady  Baker,  who  had  perhaps 
required  something  from  a  box,  and  did  not  wish  to  disturb  me. 
This  was  not  likely,  and  I  felt  that  no  time  must  be  lost,  as  my 
bedstead  had  given  the  alarm.  I  therefore  sprang  out  of  bed  and 
rushed  through  the  open  door-way,  just  in  time  to  see  some  per- 
son jump  through  the  Venetian  blinds  on  the  river-side  of  the 
house. 

To  cry  out  "Who's  there?"  and  to  fire  a  shot  after  him  at  the 
same  moment  was  the  work  of  an  instant;  and  jumping  after  him 
in  pursuit,  I  found  myself  in  darkness,  and  no  one  visible  outside 
my  house.    Where  was  the  sentry ?  Nowhere! 

At  the  cry  of  "  Guard !"  not  a  soul  appeared ;  the  sentry  was 
not  to  be  found.  At  length,  after  a  search,  he  turned  up  in  the 
wrong  place,  looking  confused,  and  confessed  that  he  had  been 
asleep,  but  awakened  by  the  sound  of  a  shot.  By  this  time  a 
number  of  non-commissioned  officers  had  arrived,  who  had  been 
alarmed  by  the  pistol-shot  and  the  cry  of  "  Guard  I"  The  sentry 
was  put  under  arrest.  A  search  was  made  everywhere,  but  no 
trace  of  the  thief  could  be  found.  On  making  an  examination 
of  the  premises,  we  found  a  dirty  shirt  that  the  thief  had,  in  his 
hurry,  left  behind  him;  this  was  evidently  intended  to  receive 
the  spoil  in  lieu  of  a  bag.    I  could  not  find  the  trace  of  a  bullet- 


98 


ISMAILlA. 


mark  either  upon  the  planks  or  upon  the  Venetian  blinds,  there- 
fore I  considered  that  the  thief  must  have  been  hit;  or  if  missed, 
the  ball  must  have  passed  out  as  he  pushed  the  blinds  aside 
when  in  the  act  of  springing  through. 

I  suspected  the  sentry,  who  was  an  Egyptian  belonging  to  the 
"Forty  Thieves."  He  was  stripped  and  examined,  but  there 
was  no  wound.  All  the  shirts  were  alike,  therefore  the  shirt  in 
my  possession  was  no  clue.  My  wife  had  been  startled,  but  she 
quickly  recovered  herself.  The  sentry  was  flogged,  and  there 
the  matter  ended.    We  had  no  London  detectives. 


DEATH  OF  DR.  GEDGE. 


99 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  START. 

December  11. — The  first  division  of  the  fleet,  composed  of  eight 
vessels,  had  started,  according  to  my  previous  arrangement,  on 
1st  inst.  Every  third  or  fourth  day  another  division  followed 
the  advance,  until  on  the  11th  I  brought  up  the  rear,  and 
completed  the  departure  with  twenty-six  vessels,  including  the 
No.  10  steamer  and  my  diahbeeah.  The  wind  was  fair  from  the 
north. 

The  extensive  and  neat  station  of  Tewflkeeyah  was  complete- 
ly dismantled.  The  iron  magazines  and  their  contents  were  now 
safely  stowed  in  the  various  ships,  and  were  already  on  their 
voyage  toward  Gondokoro.  The  horses  were  shipped,  and  the 
stables  had  been  pulled  down,  and  the  wood  cut  up  for  fuel. 
The  long  rows  of  white  tents  had  vanished,  and  little  remained 
of  the  station  except  a  few  rows  of  deserted  huts.  It  seemed  ex- 
traordinary that  so  large  a  place  could  be  packed  up  and  stowed 
away  among  the  fifty-nine  vessels  of  the  fleet. 

The  English  shipwrights  had  constructed  three  very  useful 
boats,  each  exactly  the  same  size,  about  sixteen  feet  by  five  feet ; 
thus  we  had  a  total  of  seven  small  boats  to  assist  in  the  explora- 
tions of  the  obstructed  river. 

I  left  the  Shillook  country  at  peace.  DjiafFer  Pasha  had  paid 
much  attention  to  the  sons  of  Quat  Kare  at  Khartoum,  and  the 
Khedive,  in  reply  to  my  representations,  had  appointed  him  chief 
of  the  country  in  place  of  the  pretender  Jangy.  The  Governor 
of  Fashoda  had  been  condemned  to  disgrace.  I  left  a  handsome 
present  for  the  old  king,  Quat  Kare,  and  we  departed  excellent 
friends.  The  English  party  had  been  reduced  by  the  departure 
of  Mr.  Wood,  Dr.  Gedge,  and  two  servants. 

We  had  been  deeply  grieved  by  the  sad  news  of  the  death  of 
Dr.  Gedge,  at  Khartoum,  a  few  days  before  we  broke  up  the  sta- 
tion of  Tewflkeeyah.  This  unfortunate  gentleman  was  a  great 
loss  to  the  expedition,  as  he  was  not  only  my  chief  medical 
officer,  but  combined  the  scientific  attainments  of  a  botanist  and 
naturalist. 

I  had  made  every  preparation  for  cutting  through  the  sudd, 


100 


ISMAIL'iA. 


and  we  were  well  prepared  with  many  hundred  sharp  bill-hooks, 
switching-hooks,  bean-hooks,  sabres,  etc.  I  had  also  some  hun- 
dred miners'  spades,  shovels,  etc.,  in  case  it  might  be  necessary  to 
deepen  the  shallows.  While  the  whole  English  party  were  full 
of  spirit,  and  determined  to  succeed,  I  regret  to  say  there  was 
a  general  feeling  of  disappointment  among  the  Egyptian  troops 
(including  officers)  that  the  expedition  was  once  again  in  full  sail 
toward  the  south.  Their  hearts  were  either  at  Khartoum,  or 
sighing  for  the  flesh-pots  of  Egypt.  I  had  lost  many  men  from 
sickness  during  our  sojourn  at  Tewfikeeyah.  and  the  men  were 
disheartened  and  depressed.  This  feeling  was  increased  by  the 
unfortunate  recurrence  of  the  fast  of  Eamadan,  during  which 
month  the  Mohammedans  will  neither  eat,  drink,  nor  smoke 
from  sunrise  till  sunset.  The  Koran  exempts  them  from  the  ob- 
servance of  this  pernicious  fast  when  on  a  long  journey ;  but  my 
people  preferred  to  keep  it  religiously,  as  it  would  be  a  plausible 
excuse  for  neglecting  work. 

The  Nile  was  full,  and  unusually  high.  This  was  in  favor  of 
the  voyage,  as  success  depended  upon  our  crossing  the  shallows 
during  the  flood.  It  was  therefore  necessary  to  push  on  with  all 
speed  so  as  to  reach  the  shallows,  which  had  been  impassable  last 
April,  before  the  river  should  fall. 

It  will  now  be  necessary  to  refer  to  my  original  journal,  as  it 
would  be  difficult  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  voyage  by  a  general 
description.  A  few  hours  after  starting,  on  December  11th,  1870, 
I  find  this  entry :  "  Thank  goodness,  we  are  off,  and  in  good 
time,  as  the  river  is  exceedingly  high,  although  it  has  already  fall- 
en about  five  inches  from  its  maximum.  Mr.  Higginbotham  has 
been  ill  for  a  long  time.  Lieutenant-colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  my 
first  aid-de-camp,  although  an  excellent  officer,  is  almost  useless 
from  ill  health :  thus  the  whole  work  falls  on  myself  and  Julian 
(Lieutenant  Baker)  personally ;  and  were  I  not  to  drive  the  offi- 
cers forward  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  we  should  not  have  been  off 
for  another  two  months.  These  miserable  people  do  not  under- 
stand energy,  and  the  Eamadan  increases  their  incapacity. 

"December  12. — At  2.30  a.m.,  we  were  hailed  when  ten  min- 
utes within  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  b}^  two  noggurs  (vessels)  in  dis- 
tress. Stopped  the  steamer  immediately,  and  then  heard  that  the 
No.  15  noggur,  their  consort,  had  sunk  in  deep  water  close  to  this 
spot. 

"At  day-break  I  searched  the  river,  and  discovered  the  wreck 
in  eighteen  feet  depth  of  water.  Two  good  divers  worked  for 
about  two  hours,  and  recovered  three  muskets  and  several  cop- 


LOSS  OF  VESSEL. 


101 


per  cooking-pots  belonging  to  the  soldiers.  The  story  of  the 
reis,  or  captain,  is,  that  she  sprang  a  plank  at  about  4  A.M.,  six 
days  ago,  while  under  sail  with  a  light  wind,  and  she  filled  and 
sank  immediately,  the  men  having  barely  time  to  save  them- 
selves. Unfortunately  she  had  on  board,  in  addition  to  one  hun- 
dred urdeps  of  corn  (four  hundred  and  fifty  bushels),  a  section  of 
one  of  Samuda's  steel  life-boats.  This  was  placed  upon  the  corn, 
before  the  mast;  but  having  an  air-tight  compartment,  it  must 
have  floated  away  in  the  dark  without  being  noticed. 

"  The  story  of  the  reis  is  false ;  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  the 
crew  and  soldiers  were  fast  asleep,  and  the  vessel  was  run  into 
by  one  of  her  consorts.  Had  the  people  been  awake,  the  least 
movement  of  the  helm  would  have  run  the  vessel  high  and  dry 
in  this  narrow  river,  as  the  banks  are  flooded,  and  she  was  close 
to  the  side.  As  the  collision  occurred,  the  people,  suddenly 
awakened  from  sleep,  were  seized  with  panic,  and  only  thought 
of  saving  themselves:  thus  the  noggur  lies  in  three-fathom  wa- 
ter, and  the  invaluable  section  of  a  life-boat  is  lost.  The  worry 
and  disappointment,  together  with  the  loss  of  property,  occasion- 
ed by  these  people,  is  beyond  all  description.  Every  man  detests 
the  expedition.  The  boats  are  nearly  all  old  and  rotten,  and 
with  such  wretched  material  I  have  to  conduct  this  fleet  with 
thirty  thousand  pounds'  worth  of  property.  I  dread  the  proba- 
ble loss  of  some  vessel  laden  with  sections  of  the  lake  steamers, 
in  which  case  the  expedition  would  be  ruined  in  spite  of  all  my 
care.  I  trust  that  the  floating  portion  of  the  life-boat  may  be 
picked  up  by  some  of  Agad's  vessels  in  the  rear. 

"Leaving  the  hopeless  wreck,  we  continued  the  voyage  at 
10.50  a.m.,  in  company  with  the  two  noggurs,  with  a  brisk  north 
wind.    At  5.20  P.M.  we  stopped  at  a  forest  to  collect  fire-wood. 

"December  14. — Started  at  7.30  A.M.  Thermometer,  Fahren- 
heit, at  6  a.m.,  67°;  noon,  85°.  This  is  the  lowest  temperature 
we  have  had. 

"  Passed  a  number  of  our  vessels,  one  having  broken  her  yard. 
At  12.5  stopped  at  a  forest  to  fill  up  with  wood.  While  looking 
for  wood,  a  soldier  found  a  dead  elephant  with  tusks  that  weighed 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds.  I  gave  him  a  present 
of  five  dollars,  also  one  dollar  to  Saat  for  having  recovered  from 
the  sunken  vessel  the  cooking-pots  and  muskets. 

"Wind  very  strong  from  north.  The  north  wind  always  com- 
mences at  about  7  a.m.,  and  increases  in  power  as  the  sun  rises. 
It  sinks  together  with  the  setting  sun.  Although  the  country  is 
all  that  we  could  wish,  there  is  no  game.   The  water-marks  upon 


102 


ISMAILlA. 


the  trees  show  that  the  maximum  of  the  river  has  been  a  foot 
above  its  present  level. 

"December  16. — Suleiman  Effendi's  diahbeeah,  with  six  horses, 
passed  this  morning;  he  left  in  company  with  us,  as  did  also  the 
new  noggur  that  passed  us  yesterday  morning :  thus  there  must 
be  gross  negligence  on  the  part  of  the  twenty-one  vessels  still  re- 
maining in  the  rear.  Thermometer,  6  A.M.,  69° ;  noon,  88°.  We 
shot  seven  guinea-fowl. 

"December  17. — I  see  four  vessels  about  six  miles  ahead  that 
are  only  now  making  sail :  thus  they  have  been  stopping  for  two 
days.  In  the  afternoon  the  two  diahbeeahs  of  the  Englishmen 
came  up,  and  gave  us  the  terrible  news  that  one  of  the  vessels 
had  sunk  near  the  mouth  of  the  river  Sobat  on  the  clay  of  our 
departure  from  Tewfikeeyah.  This  vessel  was  laden  with  por- 
tions of  the  steamer  of  fifty  feet. 

"  I  immediately  ordered  steam  to  be  got  up,  and  at  4.20  p.m. 
we  started  to  return,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  to  the  wreck. 
It  appears  that  Eaouf  Bey,  with  many  other  vessels,  was  in  com- 
pany with  the  lost  noggur.  To  work  in  this  country  is  simply 
heart-breaking;  the  material  is  utterly  worthless;  boats,  officers, 
and  men  are  all  alike.  The  loss  of  invaluable  time  is  ruinous, 
and  the  ignorance  of  the  people  is  such  that  they  can  do  nothing 
by  themselves ;  thus  I  must  be  everywhere,  and  superintend  ev- 
ery thing  personally. 

"  The  boatmen  say  the  rats  drag  out  the  rags  with  which  the 
vessels  are  calked  from  within,  thus  occasioning  sudden  and 
dangerous  leaks;  but  in  such  a  case,  why  does  not  the  captain 
run  his  vessel  ashore  to  prevent  sinking? 

"Before  starting,  I  dispatched  a  letter  by  a  vessel  to  Suleiman 
EfFendi  at  the  sudd,  with  orders  to  commence  clearing  the  chan- 
nel without  loss  of  time. 

"At  7.40  p.m.  made  out  a  light  ahead,  and  shortly  afterward 
we  met  Eaouf  Bey's  diahbeeah  tied  to  the  bank  alongside  of 
Achmet  EfFendi,  the  bimbashi's  vessel.  Eaouf  Bey  came  on 
board  and  confirmed  the  bad  news.  They  describe  the  sunken 
vessel  as  lying  with  her  stem  about  a  foot  below  the  surface,  but 
her  stern  is  in  very  deep  water.  I  gave  orders  for  steam  to  be 
up  at  daylight,  and  we  halted  for  the  night,  as  it  is  dangerous  to 
travel  down  stream  with  a  steamer  in  this  narrow  winding  river. 

"December  18. — Started  at  6.25  A.M.  Thermometer,  68°;  noon, 
81°.  At  noon  we  met  Colonel  Tayib  Agha  and  twelve  vessels. 
I  ordered  three  of  these  vessels  to  turn  back  immediately  to  the 
wreck,  as  I  am  determined  to  raise  her,  if  possible. 


ARRIVAL  AT  THE  WRECK. 


103 


"  At  12.37  p.m.  we  reached  the  spot  where  we  had  passed  the 
first  wreck  in  the  Bahr  Giraffe.  At  exactly  2  p.m.  we  reached 
the  Nile  junction.  At  6.50  p.m.  we  distinguished  the  mast  of 
the  wreck  above  water,  almost  opposite  the  Sobat  junction,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  river.  Having  passed  the  wreck,  we  reach- 
ed our  old  station,  Tewfikeeyah,  at  7.30  p.m.  Here  we  found  a 
number  of  Shillooks,  with  Quat  Kare's  counselor,  Abdullah,  who 
were  guarding  a  quantity  of  corn  that  I  had  left  in  the  king's 
charge,  as  our  vessels  were  too  heavily  laden  to  carry  it. 

"-December  19. — Thermometer,  6  a.m.,  6-1° ;  noon,  79°.  I  sent 
Abdullah  with  orders  to  the  king,  Quat  Kare,  to  collect  all  his 
people,  with  their  ambatch  canoes,  to  assist  us  in  raising  the 
wreck. 

"  The  Shillooks  have  already  taken  possession  of  our  old  sta- 
tion, and  have  divided  it  into  lots  for  planting. 

"December  20.— Thermometer  at  6  A.M.,  66°;  noon,  78°;  the 
water  in  the  goolah  (cooler),  59°.  The  wind  blows  a  gale  from 
the  north  daily. 

"I  have  just  heard  that  Kaouf  Bey  and  the  two  colonels, 
Tayib  Agha  and  Achmet  Effendi,  together  with  about  four  hun- 
dred men,  actually  abandoned,  not  only  the  wrecked  vessel  and 
her  invaluable  cargo,  but  they  also  left  a  section  of  one  of  the 
life-boats  upon  the  mud-bank  of  the  river  and  forsook  it.  Such 
conduct  is  incredible,  and  could  only  be  found  in  this  country. 

"At  3.15  P.M.,  the  steamer  having  replenished  her  wood,  we 
started,  and  arrived  at  the  wreck  at  4.35  p.m.  After  a  careful 
examination,  we  passed  the  night  at  the  high  ground  near  the 
Sobat  junction. 

"  The  section  of  the  life-boat  is  no  longer  on  the  mud,  but  I 
have  no  doubt  it  has  been  secured  by  the  Governor  of  Fashoda, 
together  with  the  yard  and  sail.  This  entails  the  necessity  of 
my  sending  him  a  letter,  seventy  miles  distant,  to  order  the  re- 
turn of  the  boat  section  immediately. 

"December  21. — Thermometer  at  6  am.,  63°;  water  in  goolah, 
52°.  I  sent  Abdullah  Uz  Bashi  to  Tewfikeeyah  with  a  letter  to 
the  Governor  of  Fashoda,  which  the  Shillooks  were  to  forward 
immediately.  The  letter  demands  eight  oxen,  ten  sheep,  the 
section  of  life-boat  saved  from  the  wreck,  together  with  the  yard 
and  sail. 

"I  shot  two  small  antelopes,  also  some  guinea-fowl,  francolin 
partridge,  and  five  pelicans. 

"December  22. — Waiting  for  the  arrival  of  Quat  Kare  and  his 
Shillooks.    Shot  two  geese,  and  knocked  over  a  large  antelope. 


104 


ISMAILlA. 


but  lost  him  in  the  high  grass.  The  country  is  all  flooded,  ex- 
cept for  a  space  of  about  a  mile  from  our  little  camp  on  the 
Sobat  dubba,  which  is  the  highest  ground  for  a  great  distance, 
being  about  fourteen  feet  above  the  maximum  level  of  the  river. 
A  few  Shillooks  started  off  after  my  wounded  antelope,  and 
quickly  brought  me  the  head.  It  was  a  fine  specimen  of  the 
new  species  of  Stppotragus. 

"December  23. — I  sent  the  steamer  up  the  White  Nile  to  bring- 
down the  wind-bound  kyassas  (vessels).  When  she  returned 
with  them,  all  hands  were  immediately  employed  in  discharging 
cargo,  and  taking  down  masts  and  yards,  in  readiness  for  opera- 
tions on  the  sunken  vessel. 

"December  24.  —  Thermometer,  6  A.M.,  67°;  noon,  82°.  Ab- 
dullah, the  Shillook,  arrived.  The  natives  have  not  forwarded 
my  letter  to  the  Governor  of  Fashoda,  as  they  fear  to  pass  certain 
villages  with  which  they  have  been  lately  quarreling.  To-day 
is  the  close  of  the  Eamadan  fast,  and  the  first  of  the  Bairam ; 
therefore  it  is  kept  as  a  holiday.  All  my  people  have  turned 
out  in  new  clothes. 

"December  25.  —  Christmas -day.  Thermometer,  6  a.m.,  65°. 
We  began  work  at  the  sunken  vessel.  By  filling  the  barges 
with  water  and  sinking  them  within  a  foot  of  the  surface,  and 
then  securing  them  by  chains  to  the  wreck,  we  obtained  a  firm 
hold  of  the  wreck.  The  water  having  been  baled  out  of  the 
barges,  they  gradually  rose  and  lifted  the  vessel  several  feet. 
Having  thus  raised  her,  we  hauled  her  a  few  feet  nearer  the 
bank,  and  the  day's  work  concluded  by  proving  that,  with  care 
and  additional  force,  we  should  be  able  to  manage  her. 

"December  26. — We  continued  the  same  operations  as  those  of 
yesterday.  Having  lashed  the  masts  of  the  barges  transverse- 
ly across  the  gunwales,  to  these  we  attached  chains  secured  by 
divers  beneath  the  bottom  of  the  wreck.  This  was  not  possible 
yesterday  until  we  had  lifted  her  from  the  ground.  At  the  same 
time  that  we  were  thus  engaged,  the  men,  by  diving,  secured  ropes 
to  the  heavier  pieces  of  iron  sections,  and  we  saved  several  tons 
of  her  cargo,  which  we  placed  upon  the  steamer  and  upon  my 
diahbeeah.  This  lightened  the  wreck,  and  we  then  prepared  a 
bed  for  her  by  cutting  away  the  abrupt  bank,  and  forming  a 
shelf  on  the  flooded  shore  in  a  depth  of  three  feet  of  water,  upon 
which  we  might  be  able  to  haul  her,  when  floated  to  the  surface. 
We  laid  out  the  steamer's  purchase  with  an  anchor  secured  upon 
the  shore,  and  the  day  ended  successfully  by  hauling  the  wreck 
exactly  parellel  to  the  bank,  with  her  stem  and  stern-post  above 


WE  SAVE  THE  VESSEL. 


105 


the  surface.  As  the  current  was  very  powerful,  the  bow  of  the 
wreck  had  throughout  the  operation  been  firmly  secured  by  two 
anchors  laid  out  up  stream.  It  is  very  hard  work,  as  we  are  in 
the  sun  from  early  morn  till  night.  Julian  (Lieutenant  Baker), 
being  a  sailor,  is  just  the  fellow  for  this  sort  of  work,  and  no  other 
person  knows  how  to  make  fast  the  ropes  and  chains  so  that  they 
shall  not  slip.  Higginbotham,  as  usual,  is  very  energetic.  Col- 
onel Abd-el-Kader,  who  is  my  only  reliable  Egyptian  officer,  has 
been  diving  all  day  like  a  wild  duck,  and  bringing  up  heavy 
boxes  of  rivets  which  few  men  but  himself  can  lift.  Altogether 
the  men  have  worked  famously,  especially  the  black  soldiers. 

"December  27. — Julian  is  laid  up  with  fever  to-day.  This  is 
the  effect  of  daily  exposure  to  the  sun.  I  laid  out  the  steamer's 
second  purchase  at  right  angles  fastened  to  the  bow  of  the  wreck; 
we  thus  had  her  bow  and  stern  secured  in  the  same  manner. 
Having  manned  both  purchases,  we  could  manage  her  as  she  be- 
came lighter.  About  two  hundred  and  fifty  Shillooks  came  to 
assist  us,  under  the  command  of  old  Quat  Kare,  who  sat  in  his 
canoe  and  directed  his  people.  Having  lightened  the  vessel  by 
taking  out  more  cargo,  I  divided  the  labor  ;  Higginbotham  sink- 
ing two  kyassas  and  making  them  fast  as  lifters,  while  other  men 
cut  away  the  flooded  bank  with  spades  and  improved  the  shelf. 

"After  breakfast,  the  sunken  kyassas  being  well  secured  to  the 
wreck  with  chains,  we  baled  them  out  for  the  last  time,  and  the 
vessel  thus  supported  came  bodily  to  the  surface.  All  hands 
now  hauled  on  the  purchases,  while  the  Shillooks,  with  screams 
and  yells,  tugged  at  four  ropes  fastened  amidships,  and  we  suc- 
ceeded in  dragging  the  vessel  from  the  river's  bed,  and  placing 
her  upon  the  new  shelf  that  we  had  prepared  for  her  in  little 
more  than  three  feet  of  water.  During  this  time  many  men  had 
been  baling  her  out  with  large  buckets;  and  now  that  she  was 
safe,  a  general  rush  was  made  on  board  to  empty  the  water  with 
every  conceivable  utensil — gourd-shells,  basins,  cooking-pots,  etc. 

"When  baled  out,  we  discovered  and  stopped  the  leaks,  and 
floated  her.  She  was  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  vessels  of  the 
fleet,  perfectly  new,  and  was  laden  with  steamer  sections  and  ma- 
chinery, the  loss  of  which  would  have  been  fatal  to  the  object  of 
the  expedition. 

"  I  ran  a  flag  up  the  mast  as  a  signal  to  those  at  the  station 
that  she  was  safe.  I  then  ordered  the  steamer  to  light  her  fires, 
and  the  wreck,  together  with  the  two  kyassas  and  my  diahbeeah, 
were  taken  in  tow,  and  delivered  at  the  bank  that  we  had  made 
our  head-quarters.    Thus  we  have  happily  saved  the  vessel  and 


106 


ISM  A  ILIA. 


cargo  that  bad  been  so  disgracefully  abandoned,  when  a  large 
force  was  at  hand  to  have  assisted  her. 

''During  the  morning  a  vessel  arrived  from  Khartoum,  laden 
with  goods  on  speculation,  from  a  French  trader  of  my  acquaint- 
ance, Monsieur  Jules  Poncet.  She  also  brought  the  section  of  the 
life-boat  which  my  officers  had  neglected  on  the  wreck,  and  which 
the  governor  had  taken  to  Fashoda. 

"December  28. — I  sent  the  steamer  to  Fashoda  for  the  sail  and 
yard  of  the  wrecked  vessel.  All  hands  are  engaged  in  calking 
ship,  re-hoisting  yards,  rigging,  etc.,  and  refitting.  Thermometer, 
6  a.m.,  66°;  noon,  81°. 

"December  29. — Thermometer,  6  a.m.,  66°  ;  noon,  81°.  Julian 
and  Higginbotham  both  ill  with  fever.    Vessels  progressing. 

"December  30. — I  shot  a  water-buck  at  day-break  (Eedunca  El- 
lipsyprimna).  Yesterday  evening  Quat  Kare  and  his  two  favor- 
ite wives  came  to  take  leave.  I  gave  him  a  musical-box  and 
a  meerschaum  pipe,  with  a  lovely  woman's  face  carved  on  the 
bowl.  He  was  very  much  amused  with  the  idea  of  the  smoke 
issuing  from  the  head.  I  also  gave  his  wives  some  gay  calico, 
red  handkerchiefs,  and  gaudy  ear-rings.  They  went  away  de- 
lighted. 

"At  9  P.M.  the  steamer's  boat  arrived  to  report  her  arrival  at 
Tewfikeeyah.  I  immediately  sent  off  a  kyassa  to  join  her  for  a 
cargo  of  wood. 

"December  31. — The  steamer  arrived  with  the  kyassa  in  tow, 
at  11  a.m.,  with  an  immense  supply  of  wood,  together  with  ten 
oxen  and  ten  sheep  from  Fashoda.  The  wreck  will  be  taken  in 
tow  by  the  steamer,  as  her  yard  was  taken  on  the  day  of  the  ac- 
cident by  Colonel  Tayib  Agha.  She  is  now  the  most  valuable 
vessel  in  the  fleet.    The  new  year,  1871,  has  commenced  well. 

"January  1,  1871.— At  1.30  P.M.  I  started  the  kyassas,  hav- 
ing kept  back  twenty  men  from  their  complement  of  troops  to 
man  the  vessel  we  have  saved.  Abdullah,  the  Shillook,  came, 
and  I  gave  him  an  order  to  receive  half  the  corn  that  I  left  at 
Tewfikeeyah.  This  is  a  reward  for  Quat  Kare,  for  having  assist- 
ed to  raise  the  sunken  vessel  with  his  people.  The  extraordinary 
rise  in  the  river  this  season  has  destroyed  a  large  portion  of  the 
Shillook  crops;  therefore  the  present  of  corn  will  be  most  ac- 
ceptable to  the  old  king. 

"January  2. — At  8.35  a.m.  we  started  in  tow  of  the  steamer. 
Wind  fresh  from  the  north.  At  2.40  P.M.  we  passed  the  second 
of  the  three  noggurs  that  sailed  yesterday,  and  at  3  p.m.  we  passed 
the  third  exactly  at  the  Giraffe  junction.    We  have  thus  been 


WE  PASS  AHEAD  OF  THE  FLEET. 


107 


six  hours  and  twenty-five  minutes  from  the  Sobat  to  the  Giraffe 
junction.    Thermometer,  6  A.M.,  66°  ;  noon,  86°. 

"  January  3. — Last  midnight  stopped  at  a  forest  cutting  wood  ; 
we  started  at  3.50  p.m.  One  of  the  rear  boats  came  in  sight  at 
11  A.M.,  which  reached  us  at  3.40  P.M. 

"January  4. — At  5.50  a.m.  we  actually  overtook  the  nine  ves- 
sels with  Tayib  Agha  that  we  had  left  seventeen  days  ago ;  these 
miserable  people  have  thus  been  wasting  their  time.  The  trad- 
ing-vessel of  Jules  Poncet,  that  left  the  Sobat  only  six  clays  ago, 
is  in  sight  ahead ;  thus  she  has  in  six  days  passed  the  boats  that 
have  been  twenty-four  days  from  the  same  starting-point.  I  took 
the  sail  belonging  to  the  wrecked  noggur  from  one,  and  passed 
ahead  of  all,  except  one  that  I  kept  back  for  repairs  while  we  cut 
wood  at  the  forest. 

"  January  5. — Arrived  at  Kutchuk  Ali's  station  at  10.30  a.m., 
and  took  in  wood.  The  country  is  all  flooded,  and  both  the 
natives  and  the  traders  are  without  corn,  the  crops  having  been 
destroyed  by  the  extraordinary  rise  of  the  river.  The  people 
have  no  other  grain  than  the  scanty  supply  yielded  by  the 
seeds  of  the  lotus,  which  they  collect  from  the  river.  I  met 
several  men  who  had  formerly  served  under  Ibrahim,  when  we 
accompanied  Khoorshood  Agha's  party  to  Unyoro  many  years 
ago. 

"  January  6. — Cutting  wood.  I  wrote  to  Colonel  Tayib  Agha, 
desiring  him  to  take  in  as  much  wood  as  his  vessels  can  stow,  as 
there  is  no  wood  ahead.  The  vakeel  of  the  station  supplied  five 
cows  and  six  goats.  I  gave  him  five  urdeps  of  dhurra  (twenty- 
two  bushels).    We  started  at  4  p.m. 

"  January  7. — During  the  night,  at  12.40  A.M.,  to  my  intense 
disgust  we  passed  a  great  number  of  our  vessels  with  Raouf  Bey. 
Shortly  after  we  passed  others,  together  with  the  boat  of  Achmet 
Effendi,  bimbashi.  These  officers  and  people  are  incorrigible; 
they  have  idled  their  time  on  the  road  to  such  an  extent  that  I 
can  only  conclude  it  is  done  purposely.  We  wasted  about  an 
hour  during  the  night  in  stopping  to  make  inquiries. 

"At  11.30  a.m.  we  passed  the  solitary  ambatch-bush  on  the 
west  bank  where  the  steamer  smashed  her  paddle  last  year.  The 
wind  is  strong  from  the  north.  Last  year  we  were  five  hours 
from  the  ambatch-bush  to  the  dubba.  We  shall  therefore  arrive 
to-day  at  about  4  p.m.  We  have  been  exactly  nineteen  and  a 
half  hours  steaming  from  Kutchuk  Ali's  station  to  the  ambatcb. 
We  left  Tewfikeeyah  at  eleven  o'clock ;  we  have  therefore  been 
twenty-seven  days  to  the  spot  at  the  dubba  that  we  should  reach 


103 


ISMAILlA. 


this  evening.  Last  year  we  left  Khartoum  on  February  8th,  and 
we  arrived  at  the  station  in  the  following  order : 

"February  15,  Fashoda;  16th,  Sobat  junction  ;  18th,  Bahr  Gi- 
raffe junction;  March  2d,  arrived  at  the  forest  beyond  Kutchuk 
All's  station.  This  is  the  same  spot  where  we  overtook  Kaouf 
Bey  last  night,  he  having  left  Tewflkeeyah  December  11th.  Thus 
he  had  been  twenty-six  days  from  Tewflkeeyah  in  reaching  the 
spot  this  year  which  he  arrived  at  from  the  great  distance  of 
Khartoum,  in  our  former  voyage,  in  twenty-two  days !  Last  year 
the  fleet  was  fourteen  days  on  the  voyage  from  the  Sobat  to  the 
above  spot ;  this  year  they  have  been  twenty-six  days !  I  believe 
thoroughly  that  they  delay  purposely,  in  the  hope  of  thwarting 
the  expedition. 

"Last  year  the  whole  fleet  assembled  at  the  dubba  in  twenty 
days  from  Fashoda. 

"  We  arrived  at  the  dubba  at  5.30  p.m.,  having  been  delayed 
two  hours  by  obstructions  and  rapids. 

11  January  8. — We  cut  through  a  horrid  accumulation  of  float- 
ing rafts  that  have  filled  the  open  space  of  last  year  between  the 
dubba  and  the  mouth  of  our  old  channel.  This  being  completed, 
I  ordered  the  boats  to  keep  in  close  line  until  the  arrival  of  the 
main  body,  otherwise  the  floating  rafts  would  again  block  up  the 
channel,  should  the  boats  proceed. 

u  January  9. — Hauled  the  dingy  over  the  marsh,  and  explored 
the  old  channel  for  a  distance  of  fifty  minutes.  Thank  good- 
ness this  was  clear  to  that  point,  a  distance  of  about  two  miles ; 
but  at  length  we  were  stopped  by  vegetation.  The  latter  is  of 
a  light  character,  and  can  be  easily  removed.  Clouds  of  mosqui- 
toes ;  the  dew  very  heavy  at  night. 

"  Shot  a  Baleniceps  Rex  with  rifle. 

"January  10. — At  day-break  we  distinguished  eight  sail  on 
the  northern  horizon. 

"January  11. — Brisk  north  wind.  Eaouf  Bey  arrived  in  the 
evening. 

"January  12. — Started  and  passed  the  choked  river  with  much 
difficulty,  and  entered  the  channel  of  last  year's  clearing. 

"January  13. — We  only  made  about  two  miles  yesterday  and 
to-day,  being  stopped  by  vegetation. 

"January  14. — Cutting  partially,  but  the  channel  is  much  im- 
proved since  last  year.    Made  two  and  a  half  miles. 

"January  15. — Made  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  and  having 
reached  the  lake  Timsah  (crocodile  lake),  we  found  the  river 
blocked  up;  we  therefore  cut  our  way  into  an  open  but  shal- 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


10'J 


low  channel  which  last  year  was  impassable  from  want  of 
depth. 

"  January  16. — The  diahbeeah  went  ahead,  but  the  steamer 
and  heavy  vessels  were  much  delayed  by  shallows.  I  went  on 
and  determined  upon  the  passage,  the  open  lake  being  visible 
about  six  hundred  yards  distant. 

"  January  17. — Made  about  three  hundred  yards  of  heavy  cut- 
ting through  rafts  of  vegetation.  The  lake  of  last  year  nearly 
choked  up,  about  one  hundred  acres  of  rafts  having  completely 
destroyed  it, 

"  January  18. — Cut  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  and 
at  3.30  F.  Iff.  we  entered  the  lake.  From  the  mast-head  it  ap- 
pears that  an  unbroken  sheet  of  water  now  exists  for  some  miles. 
I  trust  this  may  be  true,  and  that  no  mirage  deceives  us. 

"January  19. — Sailed  four  miles,  at  which  place  we  found  a 
new  channel  coming  from  the  south,  while  our  channel  of  last 
year  from  south-east  appeared  to  be  closed  at  half  a  mile  dis- 
tance. Explored  the  new  channel  for  about  two  miles;  in  ap- 
pearance it  was  a  river  of  two  hundred  or  three  hundred  yards 
wide.  At  length  we  arrived  at  a  sudd  of  small  dimensions,  with 
open  water  beyond.  We  returned  to  the  junction,  and  passed 
the  night  at  a  sudd  half  a  mile  up  our  old  channel. 

"  January  20. — At  7  A.M.  I  took  the  dingy,  and  with  much 
difficulty  I  pushed  about  a  mile  through  the  grass,  until  I  found 
the  whole  country  closed  by  vegetation.  I  think  the  river  has 
opened  a  new  channel,  and  that  the  passage  of  yesterday  will 
take  us  to  nearly  the  same  spot  above  the  sudd  that  we  reached 
by  another  route  last  year. 

"Many  vessels  having  arrived,  I  visited  the  Englishmen,  and 
physicked  Ramsall  and  Mr.  Higginbotham.  At  4. 15  P.M.  we 
started,  poling  round  the  angle  to  enter  the  new  channel  discov- 
ered yesterday.  In  the  evening  we  all  sailed  with  a  light  breeze, 
and  found  the  river  open  for  three  and  a  half  miles  ahead.  Halt- 
ed for  the  night. 

"January  21. — The  river  being  closed  ahead,  I  took  the  din- 
gy, and  after  much  trouble  succeeded  in  reaching  our  old  channel 
in  the  clear  river.  Having  started  at  7  a.m.,  I  returned  at  1  P.M. 
I  had  sounded  the  channel  the  whole  distance,  and  I  have  deter- 
mined to  cut  a  passage  through  to-morrow. 

"January  22. — Cut  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards  through 
heavy  sudd.  Last  year  this  piece  was  six  hundred  }^ards.  We 
at  length  reached  the  small  lake  where  we  last  year  had  buried 
the  two  artillerymen  in  an  ant-hill. 


110 


ISMAILlA. 


"  January  23. — I  took  the  diahbeeak  a  mile  and  a  quarter  up 
the  river,  while  the  fleet  was  being  squeezed  through  our  spongy 
channel. 

"January  24. — Yesterday  the  five  vessels  that  were  left  be- 
hind by  Kaouf  Bey  arrived,  and  the  fleet  assembled. 

"  I  am  in  great  anxiety  about  Tayib  Agha,  who  has  twelve 
vessels  with  him,  none  of  which  are  yet  in  sight. 

"This  black  colonel  is  not  clever;  and  should  an  accident  oc- 
cur, he  will  be  at  a  loss  how  to  act.  Julian  is  unwell  with  fever, 
but  Higginbotham  is  better. 

"  I  went  a  long  way  in  the  dingy,  and  succeeded  in  finding  the 
true  channel  of  the  stream  by  probing  with  the  twelve-foot  pole 
through  the  grass.  To-morrow  we  shall  begin  cutting,  as  the 
whole  country  is  closed. 

"The  tree  that  marks  the  open  water  of  last  year  is  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  distant.  There  is  a  solitary  dry  spot  near  this, 
the  heart  of  desolation — a  raised  tumulus  of  about  half  an  acre, 
like  the  back  of  a  huge  tortoise,  is  raised  about  five  feet  above 
the  highest  water-level.  Upon  this  crocodiles  love  to  bask  in  un- 
disturbed sleep. 

u  January  25. — The  men  cut  about  three  hundred  yards. 

"  January  26. — We  again  accomplished  about  three  hundred 
yards,  and  pushed  the  vessels  within  the  channel. 

"  January  27. — We  are  thankful  for  a  comparatively  open 
ditch,  deep,  but  covered  with  grass,  through  which  the  diah- 
beeah  cut  her  path  by  sailing  before  a  strong  breeze,  and  we 
entered  the  lake  at  11.20  A.M.  There  is  no  change  here  since 
last  year.  The  steamer  and  fleet  are  close  up,  but  there  is  a 
little  deepening  necessary  at  the  mouth  of  the  channel.  The 
diahbeeah  went  ahead  for  six  miles  along  the  lake  and  broad 
river,  and  anchored  for  the  night. 

"January  28. — With  a  light  breeze  the  diahbeeah  sailed  four 
miles,  and  stopped  at  the  three  dubbas,  whence  we  turned  back 
last  year.  Even  now  there  is  only  three  feet  and  a  half  of  wa- 
ter, and  we  shall  have  great  trouble.  Our  fisherman,  Howarti, 
caught  a  great  haul  of  fine  boulti  with  the  casting-net. 

"January  29. — I  shot  some  ducks  and  geese.  A  slight  shower 
fell  in  early  morning.  I  explored  about  seven  miles  of  the  river 
in  advance.  The  depth  is  very  unsatisfactory,  varying  from  shal- 
lows to  deep  channels. 

"January  30. — The  fleet  joined  in  sections  during  last  night  and 
to-day.  Set  to  work  with  the  long-handled  hoes,  and  cut  a  channel 
through  the  shallows  for  fifty  yards,  and  took  the  vessels  forward. 


SHALLOW  WATER. 


Ill 


"January  31. — Cut  a  channel  through  the  shallows,  but  we 
could  not  get  the  steamer  along. 

"February  1. — About  twelve  hundred  men  at  work  cutting  a 
channel  and  towing  the  steamer  and  noggurs  through.  The  diah- 
beeah  and  two  noggurs  passed  ahead  for  about  a  mile.  We  then 
stopped  to  await  the  steamer  and  other  vessels  that  were  delayed 
by  the  powerful  current. 

"February  2. — Stopped  all  day  waiting  for  the  steamer  about 
a  mile  ahead  of  the  noggurs.  When  we  left  the  dubba,  I  had 
left  a  letter  in  a  bottle,  addressed  to  Tayib  Agha,  to  order  him 
to  come  on  without  delay,  and  deepen  the  channels  we  have  cut, 
should  it  be  necessary. 

"February  3. — The  steamer  came  up  at  10  A.M.  At  10.45  the 
diahbeeah  made  sail,  and  after  two  miles  was  delayed  by  a  small 
sudd.  Care  must  be  taken  to  sail  by  the  west  branch  of  the  two 
streams,  as  there  is  no  water  in  the  east  channel. 

"  For  six  miles  we  have  had  nothing  but  shallows.  Even  at 
this  season  there  is  only  a  depth  of  four  feet  in  many  places,  and 
a  month  hence  the  river  will  be  impassable. 

"  Tayib  Agha's  boats  are  in  sight,  about  four  miles  distance, 
bearing  north.  We  cut  through  the  small  sudd,  and  in  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  we  arrived  at  an  open  water,  very  shallow,  in  many 
places  only  three  feet  deep.  Stopped  for  the  fleet,  and  upon  ar- 
rival of  the  steamer  and  others,  I  had  marked  out  the  channel  to 
be  cleared.  The  men  set  to  work  immediately.  I  then  passed 
ahead  with  the  diahbeeah  for  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  the  depth 
of  water,  as  usual,  varying,  but  often  as  low  as  four  feet.  We 
were  at  length  stopped  at  the  confluence  of  two  channels,  each 
shallow.  The  sun  was  setting,  therefore  we  halted  for  the  night 
A  buffalo  crossed  the  river  about  two  hundred  yards  ahead. 

"February  4. — I  took  the  dingy  early  in  the  morning  and  ex- 
plored both  channels;  that  on  the  right  has  no  water  beyond  a 
depth  of  about  two  feet.  The  left  is  the  true  stream,  but  the 
depth  in  some  places  is  only  three  feet;  thus  there  is  more  work 
for  the  men  upon  their  arrival.  Had  we  arrived  here  a  month 
earlier,  we  could  have  just  passed  the  shallows,  as  our  vessels 
draw  an  average  of  a  little  over  four  feet.  No  vessels  should  ar- 
rive here  later  than  January  1st ;  the  entire  river  is  a  ridiculous 
imposition ;  a  month  later,  the  bed  will  be  nearly  dry.  A  mile 
ahead,  both  channels  are  closed  by  a  sudd  of  vegetation;  we 
must  thus  wait  until  the  boats  arrive.  Altogether  the  entire  jour- 
ney by  the  Bahr  Giraffe  is  a  painful  absurdity,  and  my  expedi- 
tion will  be  fruitless  in  all  but  geographical  results,  unless  the 


L12 


TSMAILlA. 


authorities  of  the  Soudan  will  clear  the  main  channel  of  the 
White  Nile. 

"February  5. — None  of  the  vessels  arrived  yesterday.  I  went 
back,  and  found  them  in  a  terrible  fix,  as  the  water  is  leaving  us 
rapidly,  and  we  must  cut  a  fresh  channel  through  the  sand,  about 
one  hundred  yards  long. 

"February  6. —  I  took  the  diahbeeah  a  mile  and  a  quarter 
ahead  to  a  sudd,  passing  over  several  shallows  of  only  two  feet 
eight  inches  and  three  feet,  which  will  again  cause  great  delay 
and  labor.  I  returned  to  the  fleet,  and  assisted  in  the  tedious 
work  of  dragging  the  vessels  over  the  shallows.  In  the  even- 
ing I  returned  to  the  diahbeeah,  and  having  dragged  the  dingy 
across  the  sudd,  I  explored  the  channel  ahead  for  an  hour  for 
about  three  miles;  passed  over  distressing  shallows  for  a  space 
of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead  of  the  diahbeeah,  after  which  I  en- 
tered a  deep,  narrow  channel  with  very  rapid  current. 

"It  is  quite  impossible  to  say  where  we  are,  as  the  profess- 
ed guides  seem  to  know  nothing  of  this  horrible  chaos,  which 
changes  its  appearance  constantly.    It  is  most  harassing. 

"February  7. — Last  evening  I  brought  the  diahbeeah  back  to 
the  fleet,  so  as  to  push  the  work  forward  personally.  The  sol- 
diers and  officers  hope  we  shall  return  as  failures,  in  the  same 
manner  as  last  year.  I  have,  therefore,  informed  them  and 
Raouf  Bey  officially  that  no  boats  shall  retreat,  but  that,  should 
the  river  run  dry,  they  shall  remain  here  until  the  rise  of  the  wa- 
ter during  the  next  wet  season,  when  they  shall  go  on  to  Wat- 
el  -Shambi.  This  decision  has  frightened  them,  and  they  are 
working  to-day  with  better  spirit. 

"I  unpacked  and  served  out  a  hundred  spades  for  digging 
channels ;  and  I  have  ordered  them  to  commence  to  -  morrow 
morning,  and  dig  out  a  straight  passage  for  the  thirty-one  vessels 
that  still  remain  in  the  shallows. 

"February  8.  —  This  is  the  date  of  departure  last  year  from 
Khartoum ;  an  inconceivable  madness,  had  any  one  known  the 
character  of  the  river.  All  hands,  as  usual,  tugging,  hauling,  and 
deepening  the  river  with  spades  and  hoes ;  but  the  more  we  dig, 
the  faster  the  water  runs  out  of  the  bed,  which  threatens  to  leave 
us  high  and  dry. 

"February  9. —  The  work,  as  usual.  All  hands  thoroughly 
disgusted.  I  am  obliged  to  lighten  the  vessels  by  discharging 
cargo  in  the  mud.  Our  wagons  make  excellent  platforms  for 
the  luggage.  Even  with  this  assistance  we  only  drew  seven  ves- 
sels through  the  shallows  into  the  true  river  channel. 


ALL  DISHEARTENED. 


113 


"  To-morrow  we  must  discharge  more  cargo. 

"The  anxiety  of  leading  one  thousand  six  hundred  men,  and 
fifty-eight  vessels,  with  heavy  cargoes,  through  this  horrible  coun- 
try, is  very  distressing. 

"  When  I  shall  have  succeeded  in  dragging  the  vessels  into 
the  true  channel,  I  shall  construct  a  dam  in  the  rear,  so  as  to  re- 
tain the  water  at  a  higher  level.  I  have  no  doubt  that  a  series 
of  such  dams  will  be  required  to  enable  us  to  reach  the  Nile. 
Should  it  be  impossible  to  proceed  with  the  heavy  vessels,  I  shall 
leave  them  thatched  over  as  floating  stores,  with  a  small  guard, 
until  the  next  wet  season  shall  raise  the  river  level. 

"February  10.  —  I  gave  orders  to  discharge  all  cargoes,  so 
that  no  vessel  should  draw  more  than  three  feet.  All  hands  are 
now  employed  at  this  work,  as  it  is  impossible  to  cut  a  channel 
through  the  sand,  which  fills  in  as  fast  as  it  is  deepened. 

"February  11. — Twenty -seven  vessels  passed  the  diahbeeah, 
having  lightened  their  cargoes ;  these  vessels  must  discharge 
every  thing  at  the  Khor,  one  and  a  half  mile  ahead,  and  return 
to  fetch  the  remaining  baggage.  The  work  is  tremendous,  and 
the  risk  great.  The  damage  of  stores  is  certain ;  and  should  a 
heavy  shower  foil,  which  the  cloudy  state  of  the  weather  renders 
probable,  the  whole  of  our  stores,  now  lying  on  the  soft  mud, 
will  be  destroyed. 

"  To-day  I  cut  a  deeper  channel  near  the  diahbeeah,  and  di- 
vided the  men  into  gangs  on  the  various  shallow  spots,  to  tow 
each  boat  past  as  she  may  arrive.  The  steamer  is  hard  and  fast, 
although  she  has  discharged  every  thing,  and  she  must  be  liter- 
ally dug  out  of  the  passage." 

March  9.  —  From  February  11th  to  this  date  we  had  toiled 
through  every  species  of  difficulty.  The  men  had  cut  one 
straight  line  of  canal  through  a  stiff  clay  for  a  distance  of  six 
hundred  yards.  Many  were  sick,  some  had  died  ;  there  appeared 
to  be  no  hope.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  endeavored  to  cheer  both 
officers  and  men  with  tales  and  assurances  of  the  promised  land 
before  them,  should  they  only  reach  the  Nile.  They  had  worked 
like  slaves  in  these  fetid  marshes  until  their  spirits  were  entirely 
broken ;  the  Egyptians  had  ceased  to  care  whether  they  lived  or 
died. 

The  enormous  quantity  of  machinery,  iron  sections  of  steam- 
ers, supplies,  etc.,  had  actually  been  discharged  from  fifty-eight 
vessels.  The  river  had  fallen  still  lower,  and  upon  the  quickly 
sun-baked  surface  I  made  a  road ;  and  having  set  up  my  wagons, 
I  conveyed  the  great  mass  of  cargo  across  the  land  by  a  short 


114 


ISMAILlA. 


cut,  and  thus  reached  my  long  line  of  vessels,  and  reloaded  them 
after  great  labor.  The  wagons  were  then  taken  to  pieces  and  re- 
shipped.  It  would  be  wearying  to  give  the  journal  of  every  in- 
cident during  this  trying  period;  but  from  the  description  al- 
ready given,  the  fatigue  and  anxiety  may  be  imagined.  Thank 
God,  I  seemed  to  bear  a  charmed  life.  From  morning  till  night 
I  was  exploring  in  a  small-boat  through  mud  and  marsh,  but  I 
was  completely  fever-proof.  My  wife  was  also  well.  Lieutenant 
Baker  and  Mr.  Higginbotham  had  suffered  frequently  from  fever, 
but  these  energetic  officers  rendered  me  most  important  service. 
While  I  was  ahead  exploring,  sounding,  and  planning  out  the 
route,  Lieutenant  Baker  was  commanding  and  directing  the 
steamer,  which  appeared  more  like  a  huge  stranded  whale  among 
the  rushes  than  an  object  adapted  for  the  navigation  of  this  hor- 
rible country.  I  had  a  first-rate  crew  on  my  diahbeeah,  and 
some  picked  men  of  the  "Forty  Thieves"  who  always  accompa- 
nied me.  The  best  and  most  devoted  man  that  I  have  ever  seen 
was  a  corporal  of  the  "Forty  Thieves,"  named  Monsoor.  This 
man  was  a  Copt  (Christian  descendant  of  the  true  Egyptians); 
he  was  rather  short,  but  exceedingly  powerful ;  he  swam  and 
dived  like  an  otter,  and  never  seemed  to  feel  fatigue.  He  was 
always  in  good  health,  very  courageous,  and  he  accompanied  me 
like  my  own  shadow ;  he  seemed  to  watch  over  me  as  a  mother 
would  regard  an  only  child.  In  fact,  this  excellent  man  appeared 
to  have  only  one  thought  and  object. 

I  had  been,  as  usual,  exploring  far  ahead  of  the  toiling  and  la- 
boring fleet,  when,  after  pulling  our  little  boat,  with  fourteen 
men,  for  several  hours  over  a  great  mass  of  high,  floating  grass, 
we  suddenly  emerged  upon  open  water.  We  at  once  took  to  our 
boat,  and  hoisted  the  sprit-sail.  The  men  stowed  themselves  as 
ballast  in  the  bottom.  The  wind  was  strong  from  the  north,  and 
we  traveled  at  about  five  miles  per  hour,  the  lake  expanding,  as 
we  rounded  a  promontory,  until  it  attained  a  width  of  about  half 
a  mile.  Following  the  course  of  the  lake  for  about  five  miles, 
we  found  a  river  flowing  directly  into  the  long-sought  channel. 
Only  one  mile  and  a  quarter  from  the  lake,  by  this  small  river, 
we  entered  the  great  White  Nile!  I  can  not  describe  my  joy 
and  thankfulness.  My  men  shared  my  feelings.  We  all  drank 
water  from  the  turbid  river,  so  unlike  the  marsh-filtered  water  of 
the  swamps;  and  as  each  man  washed  his  hands  and  face  in  the 
noble  stream,  he  ejaculated  from  his  heart,  "  El  hambd  el  Illah !" 
("  Thank  God !")  I  also  thanked  God.  It  was  an  hour  after  dark 
when  we  returned  that  night,  after  much  difficulty,  to  my  diah- 


THE  FLEET  HELPLESSLY  AGROUND. 


115 


beeab,  to  which  we  were  guided  by  a  lantern  at  the  mast-head, 
thoughtfully  placed  there  by  my  wife's  orders.  The  good  news 
made  all  happy.  We  had  actually  that  day  drunk  water  from 
the  White  Nile. 

The  great  difficulty  remained  of  bringing  the  fleet  into  the 
large  lake  that  communicated  with  the  river.  After  all  the  la- 
bor of  the  last  two  months,  I  had  succeeded  in  assembling  the  en- 
tire fleet  in  a  sort  of  shallow  pond,  from  which  there  was  actual- 
ly no  exit.  I  had  certainly  escaped  from  this  place  by  dragging 
the  little  dingy  over  about  a  mile  of  frightful  sudd  ;  but  although 
this  sudd  covered  deep  water,  it  appeared  to  be  shut  out  from  us 
by  solid  mud,  through  which  numerous  streams  percolated,  the 
largest  of  which  was  about  three  feet  broad  and  six  inches  deep. 
These  small  drains  concentrated  in  a  narrow  ditch,  which  was  the 
principal  feeder  of  the  pond,  in  which,  with  such  infinite  trouble, 
the  fleet  had  been  assembled.  It  was  an  anxious  moment,  as  it 
would  be  necessary  to  cut  a  canal  through  solid  mud  for  a  great 
distance  before  we  could  reach  the  lake;  and  as  we  had  made 
a  free  exit  for  the  water  behind  us,  while  it  only  slowly  oozed 
through  before  us,  we  stood  a  fair  chance  of  being  left  helplessly 
aground. 

On  the  following  morning  the  good  news  of  the  discovery 
of  the  White  Nile  flew  through  the  expedition.*  Many  did  not 
believe  it,  but  considered  it  was  a  clodge  to  induce  them  to  extra 
exertion.  I  immediately  gave  orders  for  a  channel  to  be  open- 
ed through  the  mud  and  large  obstruction  into  the  lake.  After 
some  days'  hard  work,  a  passage  was  completed  that  was  suf- 
ficiently deep  to  admit  the  diahbeeah.  It  required  a  whole  day 
to  force  her  through  this  narrow  channel,  and  in  the  evening  we 
entered  the  lake,  and  hoisted  the  flag  at  the  end  of  the  tall  yard, 
as  a  signal  to  the  fleet  that  we  had  accomplished  the  passage. 

It  was  now  only  necessary  to  work  hard  and  improve  the 
channel  sufficiently  to  admit  the  passage  of  the  steamer  and 
heavier  vessels. 

Unfortunately  my  fears  had  proved  correct ;  the  fleet  was 
hard  and  fast  aground !  The  steamer  was  so  helplessly  deserted 
by  the  water,  that  she  would  have  served  for  a  nilometer  upon 
which  to  mark  the  level,  like  the  rock  at  Assouan.  It  was 
simply  impossible  to  move  her,  as  she  was  as  solidly  fixed  as  a 
church.  Every  other  vessel  of  the  fleet  stood  high  out  of  the 
water,  which  had  run  out  by  the  clear  channel  we  had  opened 
for  our  advance. 

The  officers  and  men  were  in  consternation.    With  the  prize 


lit) 


ISMAILlA. 


within  our  grasp,  it  would  be  physically  impossible  to  proceed! 
These  sort  of  people  are  soon  disheartened,  and  I  made  great 
allowance  for  them,  as  the  work  of  the  last  two  months  had  been 
sufficient  to  destroy  all  energy. 

I  at  once  determined  to  make  a  dam  behind  the  vessels,  so  as 
to  inclose  the  position  in  which  we  lay  like  a  mill-pond.  Com- 
mon sense  assured  me  that  this  must  succeed  in  raising  the  level, 
provided  we  could  construct  a  dam  of  sufficient  strength  to  bear 
the  pressure  of  water. 

I  had  a  great  quantity  of  fir  timber,  in  the  shape  of  beams 
and  rafters,  for  building  purposes.  I  therefore  instructed  Mr. 
Higginbotham  to  prepare  two  rows  of  piles,  which  were  to  be 
driven  across  the  river.  This  able  engineer  set  to  work  with 
his  usual  energy,  assisted  by  Lieutenant  J.  A.  Baker  and  the 
Englishmen,  together  with  all  the  mechanics  that  had  been 
brought  from  Cairo. 

The  piles  were  driven  with  some  difficulty,  and  diagonal 
struts  were  fastened  from  the  top  of  the  front  row  to  the  base 
of  the  rear.  Horizontal  beams  then  secured  the  entire  line  of 
skeleton  bridge. 

For  two  days  one  thousand  five  hundred  men  were  employed 
in  making  fascines  of  long,  thick  reeds  tied  in  large  bundles,  in 
the  centre  of  which  was  concealed  a  mass  of  about  fifty  pounds 
of  stiff  clay.  These  bundles  were  firmly  lashed  with  twisted 
rushes.  I  had  five  hundred  corn -sacks  filled  with  sand  and 
clay;  these  were  to  form  the  foundation  of  the  dam,  and  to  pre- 
vent the  water  from  burrowing  beneath. 

Every  company  of  troops  had  to  prepare  a  certain  number  of 
fascines,  which  were  piled  on  the  side  of  the  river,  which  had 
now  exposed  solid  banks  overgrown  with  the  high  reedy  grass. 
This  immensely  long  and  thick  grass,  resembling  sugar-canes, 
was  exactly  the  material  that  we  required.  It  was  this  grass 
that  created  natural  obstructions,  and  would  therefore  assist  us 
in  our  artificial  obstruction  or  dam.  The  sailors  of  the  fleet 
worked  in  divisions  under  separate  officers. 

On  March  13th  all  the  preparations  were  completed  for  the 
work  of  filling  in  the  dam.  Great  piles  of  solid  balls  of  clay,  of 
about  forty  pounds  each,  had  been  arranged  in  convenient  places 
to  stop  up  any  leaks  that  should  occur. 

I  stood  on  one  of  the  stranded  boats  only  a  few  yards  from 
the  row  of  piles.  The  men  were  all  in  their  places.  The  bu- 
glers and  drummers  stood  upon  another  vessel  ready  to  give  the 
signal.    At  the  first  bugle,  every  two  men  lifted  the  sacks  of 


SUCCESS  OF  THE  DAM. 


117 


sand  and  clay.  At  once  all  the  drums  and  bugles  then  sounded 
the  advance,  and  five  hundred  heavy  sacks  were  dropped  into 
the  row  of  piles,  and  firmly  stamped  down  by  the  men.  The 
troops  now  worked  with  intense  energy.  It  was  a  race  between 
the  Soudanis  and  the  Egyptians;  this  was  a  work  to  which  the 
latter  were  accustomed  in  their  own  country.  The  sailors  work- 
ed as  vigorously  as  the  troops ;  piles  of  fascines  and  clay  balls 
were  laid  with  extraordinary  rapidity,  while  some  stamped  fran- 
tically and  danced  upon  the  entangled  mass,  all  screaming  and 
shouting  in  great  excitement,  and  the  bugles  and  drums  kept  up 
an  incessant  din.  A  long  double  line  of  men  formed  a  transport 
corps,  and  passed  a  never-failing  supply  of  fascines  to  the  work- 
ers, who  stood  in  the  water  and  kneaded  firmly  the  adhesive 
mass. 

At  2.15  p.m.  the  river  was  completely  shut  in,  and  the  people, 
with  increased  energy,  worked  at  the  superstructure  of  the  dam, 
which  now  rose  like  a  causeway  for  about  one  hundred  and  ten 
yards  from  shore  to  shore. 

At  3.80  the  water  had  risen  to  an  extent  that  obliged  the  men 
in  some  places  to  swim.  The  steamer  that  had  been  hopelessly 
stranded,  and  the  entire  fleet,  were  floating  merrily  in  the  pond. 
Thank  God  I  had  forgotten  nothing  in  the  preparatory  arrange- 
ments for  the  expedition.  Without  the  spades,  hoes,  grass-knives, 
bill-hooks,  timber,  etc.,  etc.,  we  never  could  have  succeeded  in 
this  journey. 

My  diahbeeah  was  in  the  lake  waiting  for  the  fleet  to  accom- 
plish the  passage.  I  had  made  an  excursion  one  day  in  the  din- 
gy to  examine  the  south  end  of  the  lake,  which  I  found  to  be 
about  eight  miles  in  length.  On  returning,  I  wras  rather  anx- 
ious for  the  small-boat,  as  a  bull  hippopotamus  made  a  hostile 
demonstration.  The  water  was  not  more  than  five  feet  six 
inches  deep;  thus  as  the  hippo,  after  having  snorted  and  sunk, 
continued  to  approach  the  boat,  I  could  distinguish  the  path  of 
his  advance  by  the  slight  w\ave  raised  upon  the  surface.  He 
presently  raised  his  head  about  twenty  yards  from  the  boat; 
but  at  the  same  time  he  received  a  Reilly  explosive  shell  under 
the  eye,  which  ended  his  worldly  cares. 

There  were  many  hippopotami  in  this  lake,  and,  very  shortly 
after  I  had  killed  the  first,  I  shot  a  second  much  after  the  same 
manner.  I  always  carried  a  harpoon  in  the  boat,  with  the  rope 
and  ambatch  float.  The  latter  was  painted  red,  so  that  it  could 
be  easily  observed.  I  therefore  stuck  the  harpoon  in  the  dead 
hippopotamus  as  a  mark,  and  I  hastened  back  to  my  diahbeeah 


118 


ISMAIL'IA. 


for  assistance,  as  the  flesh  of  two  hippopotami  would  be  very 
welcome  to  the  people,  who  had  not  received  rations  of  butcher's 
meat  for  many  weeks.  On  arrival  at  the  diahbeeah  we  quickly 
made  sail,  and  soon  returned  to  the  hippopotamus.  By  the  time 
we  had  cut  up  this  large  animal  and  secured  the  flesh,  the  sun 
was  so  low  that  I  considered  it  would  be  better  to  secure  the  oth- 
er hippo  by  a  rope  attached  to  the  hind-legs,  and  tow  it  bodily 
astern  of  the  diahbeeah.  It  could  then  be  divided  on  the  follow- 
ing day. 

In  this  manner  we  returned  to  our  anchorage  at  the  tail  of  the 
lake,  close  to  the  entrance  of  the  new  channel.  By  the  time  we 
arrived,  the  moon  was  up.  The  diahbeeah  was  close  to  a  mud- 
bank  covered  with  high  grass,  and  about  thirty  yards  astern  of 
her  was  a  shallow  part  of  the  lake  about  three  feet  deep.  A 
light  boat  of  zinc  was  full  of  strips  of  hippopotamus's  flesh,  and 
the  dingy  was  fastened  alongside. 

After  dinner  and  a  pipe,  the  usual  arrangements  were  made 
for  the  night.  There  were  many  servants,  male  and  female,  on 
board ;  these  began  to  suspend  their  mosquito  curtains  to  the 
rigging  and  to  creep  beneath  ;  the  sailors,  after  chatting  for  a 
considerable  time,  dropped  off  to  sleep — until  the  sentry  was  the 
only  man  on  board  who  was  on  the  alert.  I  always  slept  on 
the  poop-deck,  which  was  comfortably  arranged  with  sofas  and 
carpets. 

The  night  was  cold,  and  the  moon  clear  and  bright ;  every  one 
was  wrapped  up  in  warm  blankets;  and  I  was  so  sound  asleep 
that  I  can  not  describe  more  until  I  was  suddenly  awoke  by  a 
tremendous  splashing  quite  close  to  the  diahbeeah,  accompanied 
by  the  hoarse  wild  snorting  of  a  furious  hippopotamus.  I  jump- 
ed up,  and  immediately  perceived  a  hippo,  which  was  apparently 
about  to  attack  the  vessel.  The  main-deck  being  crowded  with 
people  sleeping  beneath  their  thick  mosquito  curtains,  attached  to 
the  stairs  of  the  poop-deck,  and  to  the  rigging  in  all  directions, 
rendered  it  impossible  to  descend.  I  at  once  tore  away  some  of 
the  ties,  and  awakened  the  sleepy  people.  My  servant,  Suleiman, 
was  sleeping  next  to  the  cabin  door.  I  called  to  him  for  a  rifle. 
Before  the  affrighted  Suleiman  could  bring  the  rifle,  the  hippo- 
potamus dashed  at  us  with  indescribable  fury.  With  one  blow 
he  capsized  and  sank  the  zinc  boat,  with  its  cargo  of  flesh.  In 
another  instant  he  seized  the  dingy  in  his  immense  jaws,  and  the 
crash  of  splintered  wood  betokened  the  complete  destruction  of 
my  favorite  boat.  By  this  time  Suleiman  appeared  from  the  cab- 
in with  an  unloaded  gun  in  his  hand,  and  without  ammunition. 


A  RENEWED  ATTACK. 


119 


This  was  a  very  good  man,  but  he  was  never  overburdened  with 
presence  of  mind  ;  he  was  shaking  so  fearfully  with  nervousness, 
that  his  senses  had  entirely  abandoned  him.  All  the  people  were 
shouting  and  endeavoring  to  scare  the  hippo,  which  attacked  us 
without  ceasing  with  a  blind  fury  that  I  have  never  witnessed  in 
any  animal  except  a  bull-dog. 

By  this  time  I  had  procured  a  rifle  from  the  cabin,  where  they 
were  always  kept  fixed  in  a  row,  loaded,  and  ready  for  action, 
with  bags  of  breech-loading  ammunition  on  the  same  shelf. 

The  movements  of  the  animal  were  so  rapid,  as  he  charged 
and  plunged  alternately  beneath  the  water  in  a  cloud  of  foam 
and  wave,  that  it  was  impossible  to  aim  correctly  at  the  small 
but  fatal  spot  upon  the  head. 

The  moon  was  extremely  bright,  and  presently,  as  he  charged 
straight  at  the  diahbeeah,  I  stopped  him  with  a  No.  8  Keilly  shell. 
To  my  surprise,  he  soon  recovered,  and  again  commenced  the  at- 
tack. I  fired  shot  after  shot  at  him  without  apparent  effect.  The 
diahbeeah  rocked  about  upon  the  waves  raised  by  the  efforts  of 
so  large  an  animal ;  this  movement  rendered  the  aim  uncertain. 
At  length,  apparently  badly  wounded,  he  retired  to  the  high 
grass ;  there  he  lay  by  the  bank,  at  about  twenty-five  yards'  dis- 
tance, snorting  and  blowing. 

I  could  not  distinguish  him,  as  merely  the  head  was  above 
water,  and  this  was  concealed  by  the  deep  shadow  thrown  by 
the  high  grass.  Thinking  that  he  would  die,  I  went  to  bed  ;  but 
before  this  I  took  the  precaution  to  arrange  a  white-paper  sight 
upon  the  muzzle  of  my  rifle,  without  which  night-shooting  is  very 
uncertain. 

We  had  fallen  asleep ;  but  in  about  half  an  hour  we  were 
awaked  by  another  tremendous  splash,  and  once  more  this  mad 
beast  came  charging  directly  at  us  as  though  unhurt.  In  anoth- 
er instant  he  was  at  the  diahbeeah ;  but  I  met  him  with  a  ball 
in  the  top  of  his  head  which  sent  him  rolling  over  and  over, 
sometimes  on  his  back,  kicking  with  his  four  legs  above  the  sur- 
face, and  again  producing  waves  which  rocked  the  diahbeeah. 
In  this  helpless  manner  he  rolled  for  about  fifty  yards  down  the 
stream,  and  we  all  thought  him  killed. 

To  our  amazement,  he  recovered,  and  we  heard  him  splashing 
as  he  moved  slowly  along  the  river  through  the  high  grass  by 
the  left  bank.  There  he  remained,  snorting  and  blowing;  and  as 
the  light  of  the  moon  was  of  no  service  in  the  dark  shadows  of 
the  high  grass,  we  waited  for  a  considerable  time,  and  then  went 
to  bed,  with  the  rifle  placed  in  readiness  on  deck. 


120 


ISMAILlA. 


In  a  short  time  I  heard  louder  splashing.  I  again  got  up,  and 
I  perceived  him  about  eighty  yards  distant,  walking  slowly  across 
the  river  in  the  shallows.  Having  a  fair  shot  at  the  shoulder,  I 
fired  right  and  left  with  the  No.  8  Reilly  rifle,  and  I  distinctly 
heard  the  bullets  strike.  He  nevertheless  reached  the  right  bank, 
when  he  presently  turned  round  and  attempted  to  recross  the 
shallow.  This  gave  me  a  good  chance  at  the  shoulder,  as  his 
body  was  entirely  exposed.  This  time  he  staggered  forward  at 
the  shot,  and  fell  dead  in  the  shallow  flat  of  the  river. 

He  was  now  past  recovery.  It  was  very  cold :  the  thermom- 
eter was  54°  Fahrenheit,  and  the  blankets  were  very  agreeable, 
as  once  more  all  hands  turned  in  to  sleep. 

On  the  following  morning  I  made  a  post-mortem  examination. 
He  had  received  three  shots  in  the  flank  and  shoulder;  four  in 
the  head,  one  of  which  had  broken  his  lower  jaw ;  another  had 
passed  through  his  nose,  and,  passing  downward,  had  cut  off  one 
of  his  large  tusks.  I  never  witnessed  such  determined  and  un- 
provoked fury  as  was  exhibited  by  this  animal ;  he  appeared  to 
be  raving  mad.  His  body  was  a  mass  of  frightful  scars,  the  re- 
sult of  continual  conflicts  with  bulls  of  his  own  species;  some  of 
these  wounds  were  still  unhealed.  There  was  one  scar  about 
two  feet  in  length,  and  about  two  inches  below  the  level  of  the 
surface  skin,  upon  the  flank.  He  was  evidently  a  character  of 
the  worst  description,  but  whose  madness  rendered  him  callous  to 
all  punishment.  I  can  only  suppose  that  the  attack  upon  the 
vessels  was  induced  by  the  smell  of  the  raw  hippopotamus  flesh, 
which  was  hung  in  long  strips  about  the  rigging,  and  with  which 
the  zinc  boat  was  filled.  The  dead  hippopotamus  that  was  float- 
ing astern  lashed  to  the  diahbeeah  had  not  been  molested. 

We  raised  the  zinc  boat,  which  was  fortunately  unhurt.  The 
dingy  had  lost  a  mouthful,  as  the  hippopotamus  had  bitten  out 
a  portion  of  the  side,  including  the  gunwale  of  hard  wood;  he 
had  munched  out  a  piece  like  the  port  of  a  small  vessel,  which 
he  had  accomplished  with  the  same  ease  as  though  it  had  been  a 
slice  of  toast. 

I  sent  the  boat  to  the  English  shipwrights  for  repair,  and  these 
capital  workmen  turned  it  out  in  a  few  days  nearly  as  good  as 
new. 

The  success  of  the  dam  was  most  complete.  The  river  rose  so 
as  to  overflow  the  marshes,  which  enabled  us  to  push  all  the  ves- 
sels up  the  channel  without  the  necessity  of  deepening  it  by  spade 
labor. 

"March  14. — Should  we  succeed  in  reaching  Gondokoro  with- 


ARRIVAL  IN  THE  WHITE  NILE. 


121 


out  serious  loss,  it  will  be  tbe  greatest  possible  triumph  over  dif- 
ficulties that  no  one  can  understand  who  has  not  witnessed  the 
necessities  of  the  journey. 

"  Mr.  McWilliam's  vessel  arrived  in  the  lake,  breaking  her  yard 
in  a  sudden  shift  of  wind,  and  giving  a  man  a  fall  from  aloft, 
which  was  fatal. 

"  The  steamer  and  fleet  are  coming  through  the  sudd  as  fast  as 
the  troops  clear  the  channel. 

"March  15. — The  steamer  arrived  in  the  lake  at  3.30  P.M. 

"March  16.— Thermometer,  6  A.M.,  61°;  noon,  82°.  Eleven 
vessels  entered  the  lake  last  night.  The  wind  has  been  very 
variable  for  the  last  few  days,  and  the  true  north  wind  ap- 
pears to  have  deserted  us.  The  absence  of  a  fair  wind  delays 
us  sadly,  in  pushing  through  the  narrow  channels  against  the 
stream. 

"Dysentery  and  scurvy  are  prevalent  among  the  Egyptians. 
Four  Egyptian  soldiers  and  two  Soudanis  have  deserted.  Where 
these  wretched  fools  intend  to  wander  is  quite  a  speculation. 
They  appear  to  have  yielded  to  a  temptation  to  run  away  upon 
the  first  dry  land  that  they  have  seen  for  months. 

"  The  fleet  assembled  in  the  lake.  The  Egyptian  troops  cut 
a  passage  for  fifty  yards  through  a  sudd  in  a  channel  through 
which  the  fleet  must  pass,  as  there  is  a  shallow  that  will  prevent 
them  from  taking  the  main  course  of  the  lake. 

"To-morrow  the  whole  force  will  turn  out  and  cut  the  remain- 
ing portion  of  about  three  hundred  yards;  there  will  then  be  no 
difficulty  except  a  sudd  of  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  between 
the  lake  and  the  White  Nile. 

"March  17.  —  We  cut  through  the  sudd,  and  all  the  vessels 
entered  the  broad  waters  of  the  lake,  and  anchored  in  the  even- 
ing opposite  some  native  huts  close  to  the  channel  that  we  must 
open  to-morrow.  These  huts  are  the  first  habitations  that  we 
have  seen  for  more  than  two  months ;  they  are  now  deserted  by 
the  frightened  fishermen  who  had  occupied  them. 

"March  18. — The  diahbeeah  led  the  way  at  7.30  A.M.  through 
the  channel  that  is  closed  by  grass  and  the  Pistia  Stratiotes.  At 
10.15  we  arrived  in  the  White  Nile.  There  is  plenty  of  water 
throughout  the  closed  channel,  but  there  was  some  heavy  work 
to  clear  the  vegetation. 

"March  19.  —  All  the  vessels  came  through  into  the  White 
Nile,  and  there  was  great  rejoicing  throughout  the  fleet.  At 
length  the  men  really  believed  that  a  country  of  dry  land  might 
lie  before  them,  and  that  they  were  delivered  from  the  horrible 

10 


122 


is  MAIL)' A. 


chaos,  or  '  Slough  of  Despond,'  in  which  they  had  now  labored 
tor  sixty  days. 

"  I  served  out  new  tow-ropes  to  the  fleet,  and  ordered  No.  13 
transport  to  discharge  and  divide  her  cargo  among  other  vessels, 
and  to  take  on  board  thirty  soldiers  to  accompany  the  steamer 
to-morrow.  We  remounted  the  steamer's  paddles  and  tautened 
all  the  rigging  of  the  diahbeeah ;  mended  sails,  and  thoroughly 
repaired  for  a  start  to-morrow.  No.  31  being  a  rotten  vessel, 
I  ordered  her  cargo  to  be  divided  among  the  lighter  boats.  I 
gave  stringent  orders  to  the  officers  to  protect  all  ammunition 
and  bales  of  goods  with  galvanized  iron  plates  in  case  of  rain. 

"March  20. — All  the  vessels  got  away  by  9  a.m.  with  a  rat- 
tling breeze.  The  steamer  started  at  10.8  a.m.,  but  was  delayed 
one  hour  and  twenty  minutes  by  her  stupidly  dragging  the  nog- 
gur  ashore  in  rounding  a  sharp  corner. 

"At  5.15  P.M.  we  arrived  at  a  forest  on  the  west  bank.  At 
6.45  p.m.  we  stopped,  as  I  was  afraid  we  might  pass  the  station 
of  Wat-el-Shambi  in  the  dark. 

"March  21. — At  8.25  a.m.  we  started.  Three  natives  came  to 
the  vessel  and  reported  the  zareeba  to  be  close  ahead. 

"I  served  out  fifteen  rounds  of  Snider  ammunition  per  man 
to  the  'Forty  Thieves,'  thus  filling  up  their  pouches  to  thirty 
rounds.  The  banks  are  now  dry,  and  about  two  feet  six  inches 
above  the  river's  level.  The  country  is,  as  usual,  flat,  but  cov- 
ered with  forest  on  the  west.  Cattle  numerous,  and  bellowing  in 
all  directions. 

"At  9.15.  a.m.  we  arrived  at  Wat-el-Shambi.  The  forest  is  dis- 
tant from  the  river,  therefore  at  10  we  started  with  light  south- 
east wind,  and  at  10.30  we  returned  to  a  good  station  for  cutting- 
fuel  in  the  forest,  about  four  miles  below  Wat-el-Shambi. 

"  The  few  representatives  of  Ali  Amouri,  the  trader  at  the  lat- 
ter station,  declared  that  they  could  not  supply  us  with  cattle, 
they  being  hard  up  for  provisions  themselves.  Their  looks  be- 
lied the  excuse.  Wind  south  all  day,  but  changed  to  north  at 
6.30  p.m.  The  boat  of  the  French  trader,  Jules  Poncet,  that  had 
accompanied  the  fleet,  arrived  in  the  evening. 

"A  number  of  natives,  stark  naked,  and  smeared  with  wood 
ashes,  came  as  usual  to  beg  for  corn.  I  have  given  strict  orders 
that  on  no  account  shall  corn  be  exchanged  in  purchases  from 
the  natives,  otherwise  our  supply  will  be  stolen  wholesale.  This 
order  was  broken  through  by  Mustapha  Ali,  who  therefore  re- 
ceived a  hundred  lashes,  as  I  was  determined  to  enforce  obedience. 

"March  22. — Much  lightning  and  wind  from  the  south  during 


THEFT  OF  STORES. 


123 


the  night.  I  fear  rain.  At  day -break  we  found  Kaouf  Bey's 
vessel  close  up,  and  many  others  near.  The  north  wind  of 
last  night  must  have  aided  them.  The  natives  came  in  some 
numbers. 

"March  23. — All  hands  yesterday  and  to-day  busied  in  cut- 
ting wood  for  steamer. 

"March  24. — Poor  Jusef,  one  of  the  horse-keepers,  died. 

"March  25. — Started,  with  the  steamer  towing  a  noggur  and 
my  diahbeeah,  with  about  fifty  hours'  fuel  on  board,  at  12.50  P.M. 

"  There  has  been  wholesale  theft  of  stores  on  No.  50  noggur. 
I  caught  and  punished  the  captain  in  the  act  of  selling  our  am- 
munition to  the  slave-traders'  people  in  their  zareeba. 

llMarcJu26. — We  traveled  throughout  last  night;  the  stream 
is  nearly  three  miles  per  hour.  We  lost  an  hour  last  evening  in 
taking  wood  from  the  noggur  in  tow,  as  she  leaks  dangerously. 
I  took  six  men  and  their  effects  from  her,  and  placed  them  on 
the  steamer,  as  she  is  quite  unsafe. 

"Arrived  at  the  station  of  Abou  Kookah  at  10.25  a.m.,  having 
traveled  badly  against  the  strong  south  wind,  and  our  bottom 
dirty.  At  3.10  p.m.  we  left  Abou  Kookah,  and  at  9.50  p.m.  we 
arrived  at  the  forest,  close  to  the  deserted  mission  station  of  St. 
Croix,  where  we  halted  for  the  night.  There  were  vast  herds  of 
cattle  and  many  natives  on  the  east  bank." 


124 


ISMAILlA. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ARRIVAL  AT  G ONDOKOUO. 

After  the  usual  voyage  upon  the  White  Nile,  during  which 
we  passed  the  Bohr  and  Shir  tribes,  and  had  excellent  sport  in 
antelope-shooting  when  the  steamer  stopped  at  forests  to  cut  fuel, 
we  arrived  opposite  the  old  mission  station  at  Gondokoro  on 
April  15th,  1871. 

I  found  a  great  change  in  the  river  since  my  last  visit.  The 
old  channel,  which  had  been  of  great  depth  where  it  swept  be- 
neath the  cliffs,  was  choked  with  sand-banks.  New  islands  had 
formed  in  many  places,  and  it  was  impossible  for  the  vessels  to 
approach  the  old  landing-place.  We  therefore  dropped  down  the 
stream  to  a  spot  where  high  ground  and  a  few  trees  invited  us  to 
the  east  bank.  At  this  spot  the  traders  had  founded  a  new  set- 
tlement that  was  now  without  inhabitants,  and  was  represented 
by  half  a  dozen  broken-down  old  huts. 

II  The  country  is  sadly  changed ;  formerly,  pretty  native  vil- 
lages in  great  numbers  were  dotted  over  the  landscape,  beneath 
shady  clumps  of  trees,  and  the  land  was  thickly  populated.  Now 
all  is  desolate;  not  a  village  exists  on  the  main-land;  they  have 
all  been  destroyed,  and  the  inhabitants  have  been  driven  for  ref- 
uge on  the  numerous  low  islands  of  the  river.  These  are  throng- 
ed with  villages,  and  the  people  are  busily  cultivating  the  soil. 

"I  sent  for  the  chief,  Allorron,  who,  upon  arrival  with  some 
other  natives,  explained  that  his  country  had  been  destroyed  by 
the  attacks  of  the  people  of  Loquia,  at  the  instigation  of  the  trad- 
ers. I  promised  him  protection  if  he  and  his  people  would  re- 
turn to  the  main-land,  and  become  true  subjects  to  the  Khedive. 
At  the  same  time  I  informed  him  that,  in  return  for  protection, 
his  people  must  cultivate  corn,  and  build  the  huts  required  for 
the  troops  upon  arrival.  This  he  promised  to  do,  and  I  arranged 
that  he  should  summon  a  general  meeting  of  the  head  men  and 
their  people  to-morrow,  or  as  soon  as  possible. 

"  I  at  once  cleared  a  small  plot  of  ground  and  sowed  some  gar- 
den seeds  on  the  new  soil  now  annexed  to  Egypt.  My  soldiers 
took  a  great  interest  in  the  operation ;  and  as  we  covered  the 


A  MOROSE  WELCOME.  125 

seeds  with  light  earth,  we  concluded  the  sowing  with  the  usual 
ejaculation — 'Bisrnillah  !'  (in  the  name  of  God). 

"I  walked  up  to  the  old  mission  station.  Not  one  brick  re- 
mains upon  another ;  all  is  totally  destroyed.  The  few  fruit-trees 
planted  by  the  pious  hands  of  the  Austrian  missionaries  remain 
in  a  tangled  wilderness  by  the  river's  bank.  The  beautiful  ave- 
nue of  large  lemon-trees  has  been  defaced  by  the  destruction  of 
many  boughs,  while  the  ground  beneath  is  literally  covered  by 
many  thousands  of  withered  lemons  that  have  fallen  neglected 
from  the  branches  without  a  hand  to  gather  them.  The  natives 
will  not  eat  them ;  thus  the  delicious  fruit  has  been  wasted ;  per- 
haps sixty  or  eighty  bushels  have  rotted  on  the  earth.  I  trust 
that  the  seeds  I  have  already  sown  will  have  a  more  useful  result 
than  the  lost  labor  of  the  unfortunate  missionaries.  It  would  be 
heart-breaking  to  them  could  they  see  the  miserable  termination 
of  all  their  good  works. 

"April  16. — The  mileage  from  the  junction  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe 
I  have  calculated  at  three  hundred  and  sixty-four  to  this  point 
(Gondokoro);  but  I  deduct  ten  per  cent.,  as  we  took  several 
wrong  turns  of  the  river.  The  distance  may  be  about  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty  miles. 

Miles. 

"From  Bahr  Giraffe  junction  to  Gondokoro...  330 
44    Upper  Nile  junction  to  Dubba,  on  Bahr 


Giraffe   48 

"    Dubba  to  Lower  Nile  junction   300 

"    Lower  Nile  junction  to  Sobat   38 

"    Sobat  to  Khartoum   G93 


1409  to  Gondokoro." 

The  chief,  Allorron,  arrived  with  a  number  of  his  people,  and 
asked  for  "araki  and  cognac!"  He  is  a  big  and  savage-looking 
naked  brute  of  the  lowest  description,  his  natural  vices  having 
been  increased  by  constant  associations  with  the  slave  -  hunters. 
This  man  declared  that  his  people  could  not  prepare  materials  for 
the  camp,  as  the  neighboring  tribes  were  hostile,  and  he  could 
not  venture  to  collect  bamboos. 

I  told  him  that  if  my  orders  were  not  obeyed,  the  troops  would 
be  obliged  to  be  sheltered  in  his  villages  upon  arrival,  as  I  could 
not  allow  them  to  be  exposed  to  the  rains. 

Both  Allorron  and  his  people  looked  extremely  sullen ;  and 
although  I  always  knew  the  Baris  to  be  the  worst  tribe  in  the 
Nile  basin,  I  was  not  prepared  for  such  a  morose  welcome.  I 
explained  to  him  the  object  of  the  expedition.    He  seemed  quite 


126 


ISMAILlA. 


incredulous,  and  made  some  remark  to  his  followers  in  his  own 
language  with  a  contemptuous  smile.  He  rather  approved  of 
the  idea  that  slave-taking  would  be  suppressed  in  his  own  tribe,  , 
but  he  could  not  sympathize  with  the  general  principle,  and  he 
asked,  "  What  will  the  slave-traders  do  ?"  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader 
replied  to  the  question  by  explaining  to  him  my  exact  position, 
and  the  relative  position  of  the  traders.  At  this  he  burst  out 
laughing  in  the  rudest  manner.  He  had  seen  me  and  my  wife 
on  our  former  voyage,  and  he  well  remembered  that  in  those 
days  we  had  been  not  only  helpless  in  Gondokoro,  but  that  the 
traders  had  spoken  of  all  Europeans  with  contempt.  He  had 
already  heard  from  Abou  Saood's*  people'  of  my  expected  ar- 
rival, by  whom  he  had  been  incited  against  the  expedition.  It 
had  been  explained  to  him  that,  if  baffled,  we  should  soon  become 
disgusted,  and  return  to  Khartoum.  He  also  remembered  that 
many  Europeans  had  visited  Gondokoro  like  myself,  but  none 
had  remained.  It  was  therefore  natural  that  a  brutal  savage, 
whose  people  were  allied  with  the  slave-traders  to  attack  and  pil- 
lage outlying  countries,  should  not  regard  with  favor  a  new  gov- 
ernment that  would  establish  law  and  order.  For  many  years 
Allorron's  tribe  had  been  associated  with  the  slavers ;  and  now 
that  the  entire  country  had  been  leased  to  one  man,  Abou  Saood, 
he  had  become  the  vakeel,  or  representative  of  this  individual, 
by  whom  he  had  been  thoroughly  prepared  for  our  arrival.  We 
had  been  expected  long  ago,  but,  as  already  described,  the  de- 
lays attending  the  opening  of  the  Suez  Canal  had  prevented  us 
from  starting. 

I  quickly  perceived  the  real  state  of  affairs.  A  great  number 
of  Allorron's  people  were  absent  in  the  interior,  employed  by 
Abou  Saood's  companies  as  mercenary  soldiers.  The  Baris  are 
a  most  warlike  tribe,  and  would  make  excellent  troops;  thus 
they  were  valuable  allies  of  the  slave-hunters,  as  the  geograph- 
ical position  of  Gondokoro  rendered  it  the  only  spot  that  was 
adapted  for  an  important  station.  The  traders,  now  possessed  of 
the  monopoly  of  the  ivory  trade,  found  no  necessity  for  a  per- 
manent station  at  Gondokoro,  as  their  interests  were  watched 
during  their  absence  in  the  interior  by  their  ally  Allorron.  They 
accordingly  only  visited  Gondokoro  when  they  returned  period- 
ically from  the  interior  with  their  ivory  and  slaves  to  meet  the 
vessels  from  Khartoum. 


*  The  agent  of  the  great  company  of  Agad  &  Co.,  who  farmed  the  district  from  the 
government. 


A  BAND  ON  ED  CO  UNTR  Y. 


127 


Allorron  was  in  the  habit  of  dispatching  messengers  to  their 
various  camps  (seven  or  eight  days'  march  for  a  running  negro) 
to  give  the  vakeels  notice  of  the  arrival  of  the  expected  vessels. 
Many  hundreds  of  his  people  had  been  armed  with  guns  by  the 
traders ;  therefore  his  tribe  and  the  companies  of  Abou  Saood 
were  thoroughly  incorporated — brigands  allied  with  brigands — 
and  Gondokoro  had  become  the  nucleus  to  which  the  spoil  was 
concentrated. 

These  were  people  by  whom  the  blessings  of  a  good  govern- 
ment were  hardly  to  be  understood. 

Unfortunately  for  Allorron,  he  had  joined  the  slave-hunters  of 
Abou  Saood  against  neighbors  that  were  unpleasantly  close  to 
Gondokoro.  The  Loquia,  a  most  powerful  tribe,  only  three  days' 
march  to  the  south-east,  had  lost  slaves  and  cattle  by  these  depre- 
dations ;  thus,  when  the  slave-hunters'  parties  had  quitted  Gon- 
dokoro and  returned  to  their  station  in  the  interior,  Loquia  had 
invaded  the  unprotected  Allorron,  and  had  utterly  destroyed  his 
district  on  the  eastern  main-land.  For  many  miles  the  country 
now  resembled  a  very  lovely  park.  Every  habitation  had  disap- 
peared ;  and  this  formerly  populous  position  was  quite  deserted 
by  the  surviving  inhabitants,  who  had  taken  refuge  in  the  islands, 
or  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  At  this  season  the  entire  coun- 
try was  covered  with  a  tender  herbage — that  species  of  fine  grass, 
called  by  the  Arabs  "  negheel,"  which  is  the  best  pasturage  for 
cattle.  Allorron's  people  dared  not  bring  their  herds  to  pasture 
upon  this  beautiful  land  from  whence  they  had  been  driven,  as 
they  were  afraid  that  the  news  would  soon  reach  Loquia,  who 
would  pounce  unexpectedly  upon  them  from  the  neighboring 
forest. 

I  had  therefore  arrived  in  a  country  from  which  the  original 
possessors  had  been  banished  by  superior  force.  There  was  not 
a  single  representative  of  the  tribe  upon  the  main -land,  neither 
could  their  cattle  venture  across  the  river  to  pasture  upon  the 
beautiful  herbage,  that  was  now  entirely  neglected  except  by  a 
few  herds  of  antelopes.  At  the  same  time,  the  pasturage  on  the 
islands,  being  insufficient  for  the  large  herds  of  cattle,  was  con- 
sumed, and  the  animals  were  dependent  upon  the  rank  grass, 
which  they  could  only  reach  by  wading  into  the  water;  thus 
many  were  taken  by  crocodiles. 

It  would  have  been  natural  to  suppose  that  Allorron  and  his 
people  would  have  welcomed  the  protection  now  offered  by  the 
new  government.  I  invited  them  to  return  to  their  old  country, 
from  which  they  had  been  expelled,  and  to  rebuild  their  villages 


128 


ISMAIL  I  A. 


on  their  old  sites,  where  they  could  recommence  their  cultiva- 
tion, and  form  a  new  settlement  under  the  wing  of  our  head- 
quarters. 

It  was  easy  to  perceive  by  the  manner  of  the  chief,  Allorron, 
and  his  people  that  they  had  been  incited  by  Abou  Saood  and 
his  companies  against  the  expedition.  My  delay  in  starting  from 
Egypt  had  been  of  immense  advantage  to  the  slave-traders,  as  it 
had  given  them  time  to  organize  a  resistance  to  the  expedition. 
The  negroes  are  easily  misled.  Naturally  vicious  and  treacher- 
ous, they  are  ready  to  believe  any  tales  of  evil ;  and  as  a  young 
child  may  be  frightened  by  a  ghost -story,  they  also  may  by  a 
few  words  be  rendered  suspicious  of  their  best  friend.  Their  in- 
terests were  the  same  as  those  of  the  slave-traders. 

My  "Forty  Thieves"  were  excellent  fellows,  and  all  the  men 
who  were  constantly  about  me  were  very  different  from  those 
who  formed  the  bulk  of  the  military  force.  I  now  commenced  a 
small  station  and  a  large  garden. 

I  had  chosen  a  pretty  spot  for  my  station,  as  I  did  not  intend 
to  reside  at  head- quarters,  which  would  be  the  site  originally 
occupied  by  the  Austrian  mission,  and  was  well  adapted  for  a 
large  town. 

My  station  was  a  rising  knoll  of  about  six  acres,  upon  which 
grew  a  few  shady  trees.  This  spot  had  been  the  station  of  a 
missionary  known  by  the  natives  under  the  name  of  "  Suleiman  ;7' 
his  was  the  only  name  remembered  by  the  Baris,  and  his  body 
had  been  buried  here,  but  nothing  marked  the  spot.  He  had 
passed  away,  like  all  the  rest  of  those  good  and  self  -  sacrificing 
people,  without  leaving  one  trace  of  good  works  among  this  bar- 
barous tribe  except  the  lemon-trees ;  theirs  was  the  only  seed  that 
appeared  to  have  fallen  on  good  ground. 

In  a  few  days  my  men  had  made  a  large  garden,  in  wThich  I 
sowed  onions,  radishes,  beans,  spinach,  four  varieties  of  water- 
melons, sweet  melons,  cucumbers,  oranges,  custard  apples,  Indian 
corn,  garlic,  barmian,  tobacco,  cabbages,  tomatoes,  chilis,  long  cap- 
sicums, carrots,  parsley,  celery.  I  arranged  the  daily  labor  so 
that  the  soldiers  and  sailors  should  work  at  the  cultivation  from 
6  a.m.  till  11 ;  after  which  they  might  have  the  clay  to  them- 
selves, to  construct  their  own  huts. 

At  this  season,  April  20th,  1871,  the  river  was  extremely  low; 
I  therefore  fixed  a  pole  with  marked  inches  to  register  the  rise 
of  floods. 

By  the  23d  of  April  all  my  men  had  arranged  gardens  parallel 
with  the  lines  of  their  camp.    I  gave  them  various  seeds,  with  a 


COMMENCE  C  UL  TI VA  TION. 


promise  of  prizes  for  the  finest  specimens  of  vegetables  that  might 
be  produced.  I  had  always  endeavored  to  create  a  taste  for  ag- 
riculture among  my  people,  and  they  had  now  learned  that  the 
commencement  of  a  new  settlement  was  the  signal  for  cultivation. 
I  believe  that  no  employment  engenders  such  a  love  of  a  particu- 
lar locality  as  that  of  farming,  provided  always  that  the  soil  and 
climate  are  favorable.  Thus,  in  an  expedition  to  a  distant  land, 
it  is  necessary  to  induce  the  feelings  of  home  among  the  people. 
The  hut  by  itself  is  simply  shelter,  but  the  same  hut  surrounded 
by  a  neat  and  productive  garden,  the  result  of  industry,  becomes 
a  settled  residence.  It  is  pleasant  to  watch  the  blossoms  of  home 
flowers  and  vegetables  that  you  may  have  yourself  introduced 
and  planted.  A  good  English  cabbage  or  carrot  may  not  be 
introduced  in  poetry  so  generally  as  the  rose;  but  in  a  new 
settlement,  in  a  wild  country,  the  success  of  a  cabbage  or  car- 
rot is  of  more  importance  to  the  expedition  than  bouquets  of 
flowers. 

Even  the  women  and  boys  that  were  domestic  servants,  origi- 
nally slaves  that  I  had  liberated  from  the  traders,  had  learned  to 
take  a  great  interest  in  cultivation.  Each  had  a  garden,  and  a 
day  never  passed  without  permission  being  asked  for  a  few  hours' 
recreation  with  the  spade  or  hoe,  the  latter  being  the  favorite  im- 
plement, as  the  want  of  shoes  rendered  the  management  of  the 
spade  extremely  difficult,  except  in  very  light  soil. 

I  believe  that  a  taste  for  gardening  has  a  most  civilizing  in- 
fluence among  savages  ;  and  if  I  were  a  missionary,  I  should 
commence  with  such  practical  teaching,  thus  proving,  in  your 
joint  labor  with  the  natives,  the  principle  that  industry  and 
peace  will  create  prosperity. 

A  few  extracts  from  my  journal  will  'describe  the  gradual 
progress  of  the  settlement : 

"Mr.  Higginbotham  shot  a  water-buck  during  an  exploratory 
ramble  that  we  took  through  the  forest  in  search  of  large  timber 
for  building  purposes.  The  main  forest  begins  about  two  miles 
from  this  station,  in  which  is  an  unlimited  supply  of  wood,  in- 
cluding the  most  magnificent  tamarind -trees.  These  beautiful 
specimens  are  dotted  about  the  country,  like  park  timber  in 
England.  There  is  a  tamarind-tree  about  a  mile  from  this  sta- 
tion, beneath  which  about  a  thousand  cattle  might  find  shade. 

"  There  is  a  native  named  Tomby,  who  speaks  excellent  Ara- 
bic. This  fellow  has  been  twice  to  Khartoum,  and  he  wears 
clothes,  instead  of  walking  about  in  a  state  of  absolute  nudity 
like  his  countrymen.    He  has  an  excellent  rifle  that  was  given 


130 


ISMAILlA. 


to  him  by  his  old  master,  a  French  trader,  Monsieur  Bartholomew 
Tomby  has  been  employed  as  interpreter ;  and  having  been 
born  and  bred  in  these  parts,  he  is  a  perfect  chronicler.  It  ap- 
pears that  Abou  Saood  treacherously  murdered  the  sheik  of  Be- 
linean,  a  country  about  twelve  miles  distant  from  this  station. 
This  ruffian,  who  holds  a  contract  from  the  government,  and 
who,  with  his  partner  Agad,  is  the  lessee  of  ninety  thousand 
square  miles  of  Central  Africa,  manages  his  affairs  in  this  man- 
ner. He  feared  the  sheik  of  Belinian,  who  was  a  powerful 
neighbor :  he  therefore,  professing  friendship,  invited  him  and 
his  family  to  an  entertainment  at  Gondokoro.  The  sheik  and 
his  people,  not  suspecting  evil,  arrived,  bringing  with  them  the 
usual  presents.  Abou  Saood  received  them  very  politely;  and 
when  they  were  seated,  and  had  entered  into  conversation,  he 
had  them  seized  by  his  people,  and  murdered  them  on  the  spot 
in  cold  blood.  Owing  to  this  treacherous  conduct,  and  the 
general  behavior  of  Abou  Saood's  parties,  the  entire  neighbor- 
hood is  hostile,  and  anarchy  prevails  throughout  the  country ; 
thus  I  can  not  send  a  letter  to  the  traders'  camp  at  Latooka,  as 
no  one  dares  to  travel. 

"April  24— Thermometer,  6  A.M.,  74°;  noon,  fell  to  72°.  We 
had  a  picnic  at  the  old  mission  station,  where  I  went,  accom- 
panied by  lieutenant  Baker,  Mr.  Higginbotham,  and  my  wife, 
to  measure  out  the  camp  and  fort.  As  usual  in  England,  the 
picnic  brought  on  heavy  rain,  which  lasted  from  9.30  A.M.  till  2 
P.M.,  to  the  great  benefit  of  the  garden. 

"April  25.— Thermometer,  6  a.m.,  69°;  noon,  80°.  We  com- 
pleted the  large  garden ;  the  soldiers'  gardens  are  also  complete. 
The  camp  of  the  'Forty  Thieves'  is  very  neat ;  a  spirit  of  indus- 
try has  seized  upon  the  whole  party.  The  women  have  made 
gardens  around  their  huts,  and  agriculture  appears  to  be  the  pre- 
vailing fashion.  I  am  surrounding  the  garden  with  a  live  fence 
of  euphorbia.    Julian  has  been  unwell  for  some  time  past. 

"  The  natives  appear  to  have  gained  confidence,  as  they  are 
bringing  their  cattle  across  the  river  from  the  islands  to  our  fine 
pasturage.  It  is  curious  to  see  the  manner  in  which  the  herd 
follows  the  man  who  swims  before  them  as  their  guide,  while 
other  natives  direct  them  while  swimming  by  striking  them 
upon  the  horns  with  long  bamboos. 

"Yesterday  the  river  rose  about  two  feet;  but  it  fell  almost 
as  suddenly,  showing  that  the  rise  was  only  the  effect  of  the 
heavy  rain  upon  the  mountain  ranges  throughout  the  country. 
One  of  the  boys,  Said,  caught  three  fish,  weighing  about 


WE  LIVE  UPON  SPARROWS. 


131 


eight,  ten,  and  twenty  pounds  each.  These  were  of  the  Silurus 
species,  and  are  excellent  eating. 

"  The  white  ants  are  now  issuing  from  the  ground  in  vast 
numbers  in  the  winged  state,  and  are  taking  flight.  Myriads  of 
the  black  and  white  tern  and  the  white  storks  are  following 
them.    The  lizards  are  also  at  work  in  the  general  persecution. 

"April  26,  27. — Made  new  garden-beds.  A1J  the  seeds  sown 
by  the  troops  are  above-ground,  to  the  great  delight  of  the  men. 
We  cleared  and  sowed  about  an  acre  with  Indian  corn  to-day." 

We  thus  continued  working  and  improving,  until  we  had  in 
a  comparatively  short  time  produced  a  great  result.  About  ten 
acres  of  corn  were  above-ground,  as  a  few  showers  bad  started 
the  seeds  like  magic.  My  men  were  comfortably  housed  in  a 
neat  station  on  the  high  ground,  while  my  servants  had  a  pretty 
little  village  of  their  own  situated  on  the  knoll,  by  the  river-side, 
about  fifty  yards  from  my  diahbeeah.  This  vessel  was  moored 
alongside  the  bank,  the  fine  grass  of  which  was  kept  closely  cut, 
so  as  to  resemble  a  lawn,  that  extended  for  about  thirty  yards ; 
this  was  bounded  by  prickly-pears  and  ornamented  by  a  large 
and  showy  butternut- tree,  which  formed  our  outdoor  drawing- 
room. 

It  was  all  very  well  to  establish  a  government,  and  to  com- 
mence the  civilization  of  Central  Africa,  but  we  were  very  hun- 
gry, and  we  could  procure  nothing  from  the  natives.  We  had 
no  butchers'  meat,  neither  would  the  sheik  Allorron  or  his  peo- 
ple sell  us  either  sheep  or  cattle. 

For  several  days  we  lived  upon  sparrows,  which  Monsoor  shot 
by  sprinkling  corn  upon  the  ground  and  firing  into  the  assembled 
flock  of  hundreds.  The  country  was  swarming  with  these  small 
birds,  which  are  no  doubt  delicacies;  but  if  you  have  a  good  ap- 
petite they  are  a  little  too  light  on  the  stomach.  In  the  mean 
time,  although  the  natives  could  now  venture  to  drive  their  cat- 
tle to  the  rich  pasturage  under  our  protection,  which  they  could 
not  before  enjoy  for  fear  of  their  enemies,  the  Loquia,  they  abso- 
lutely refused  to  sell,  or  to  supply  us  in  any  manner.  In  spite 
of  my  explanations  to  the  sheik  by  the  interpreter  Tomby,  he 
refused  to  bring  either  grass  or  wood  for  the  expected  soldiers' 
huts,  or  in  fact  to  do  any  thing  to  serve  us. 

Upon  one  occasion,  as  my  men  were  sowing  and  clearing  the 
land  for  planting,  he  employed  natives  to  work  at  the  same  kind 
of  cultivation  in  front  of  the  troops,  in  order  to  claim  a  right  to 
the  soil.  On  this  occasion  he  came  himself,  prepared  with  a  cup 
formed  of  a  small  gourd-shell  slung  by  a  string  upon  his  neck. 


13-2 


ISMAlLlA. 


He  explained  that  this  was  bis  cup  for  drinking  araki,  with  which 
he  requested  to  be  supplied. 

"How  long  are  you  going  to  remain  here?"  he  asked.  He 
continued,  "You  had  better  go  back  to  Khartoum,  and  I  will  eat 
the  corn  you  have  planted  when  it  becomes  ripe." 

I  explained  that  Gondokoro  would  be  head-quarters,  and  that 
troops  would  always  remain  there,  and  we  should  cultivate  a 
large  extent  for  corn.  He  replied,  "  Then  who  does  this  land  be- 
long to? — to  you  or  to  me?"  I  explained  that  his  people  had 
been  driven  out  by  superior  force,  and  that  we  had  found  it  aban- 
doned ;  at  the  same  time,  neither  he  nor  his  people  dare  remain 
here  without  my  protection,  therefore  the  land  belonged  to  the 
Khedive  of  Egypt;  but  if  the  natives  wished  to  re-settle,  I  would 
give  them  their  original  property. 

He  simply  replied,  "Who  does  this  tree  belong  to?"  (we  were 
standing  beneath  its  shade).  "It  belongs  to  the  Khedive  of 
Egypt,"  I  replied,  "  who  is  now  protector  of  the  whole  country, 
and  I  am  his  representative  to  establish  his  government." 

He  replied,  "  Then  you  had  better  be  off  to  Khartoum,  for  we 
don't  want  any  government  here." 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  the  abstract  of  people's  rights 
any  annexation  of  the  territory  of  another  is  an  infringement. 
Had  this  principle  been  adhered  to  throughout  the  history  of  the 
world,  there  wrould  have  been  no  progress.  Savages  of  all  coun- 
tries are  prone  to  strife;  and  a  state  of  chronic  warfare  with 
neighboring  tribes  is  the  example  of  African  politics. 

I  had  always  expected  trouble  with  the  Ban's,  as  I  had  known 
them  during  my  former  journey  as  a  tribe  of  intractable  savages. 
The  Austrian  missionaries  had  abandoned  them  as  hopeless,  after 
many  efforts  and  a  great  expenditure  of  money  and  energy. 

The  natives  had  pulled  down  the  neat  mission-house,  and  they 
had  pounded  and  ground  the  bright  red  bricks  into  the  finest 
powder,  which,  mixed  with  grease,  formed  a  paint  to  smear  their 
naked  bodies.  Thus  the  only  results  of  many  years'  teaching 
were  the  death  of  many  noble  men,  the  loss  of  money,  and  the 
failure  of  the  attempt;  and  instead  of  the  enterprise  leaving  a 
legacy  of  inward  spiritual  grace  to  these  "  men  and  brethren,"  the 
missionary  establishment  itself  was  converted  into  an  external 
application  for  the  skin:  the  house  of  God  was  turned  into  "po- 
made divine."  This  was  a  result  that  might  have  been  expect- 
ed by  any  person  who  had  practical  experience  of  the  Baris. 

The  extent  of  country  occupied  by  this  tribe  was  about  ninety 
miles  in  length  from  north  to  south,  and  seventy  in  width.  Al- 


BARI  CUSTOMS. 


133 


though  the  people  who  inhabited  this  district  were  all  Baris,  there 
was  no  cohesion  among  them.  They  were  divided  into  numer- 
ous small  chiefdoms,  each  governed  by  its  sheik  or  head  man. 
Thus  Allorron  represented  Gondokoro,  while  every  petty  district 
was  directed  by  a  similar  sheik.  The  Bari  country  was  thickly 
inhabited.  The  general  features  of  the  landscape  were  rolling 
park-like  grass  lands;  very  little  actual  flat,  but  a  series  of  undu- 
lations, ornamented  with  exceedingly  fine  timber — forests  of  con- 
siderable extent,  and  mountains  rising  to  about  two  thousand  five 
hundred  or  three  thousand  feet  above  their  base.  From  these 
mountains  numerous  streams  drained  to  the  Nile :  these  were 
generally  dry  in  the  summer  season.  The  soil  was  poor  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Gondokoro,  but  at  a  distance  from  the  river  the 
country  was  fertile;  the  rocks  were  throughout  granitic;  the 
mountains  yielded  the  finest  iron  ore,  especially  those  of  Beli- 
nian,  twelve  miles  from  Gondokoro,  where  the  natives  were  ex- 
pert blacksmiths.  Cultivation  was  carried  on  to  a  large  extent 
throughout  the  country;  the  corn  generally  used  was  the  com- 
mon dhurra  (Sorghum  vulgare).  This  was  usually  the  dark-red 
variety,  which,  being  rather  bitter,  has  a  chance  of  escape  from 
the  clouds  of  small  birds  which  ruin  the  crops.  Sesame  was  com- 
mon throughout  all  portions  of  Central  Africa,  and  throve  well 
upon  the  poor  and  light  soil  of  Gondokoro. 

The  Baris  were  exceedingly  neat  in  their  dwellings,  and  their 
villages  were  innumerable.  Each  hut  was  surrounded  by  a  small 
court,  composed  of  cement  made  from  the  clay  of  the  white-ant 
hills  mixed  with  cow-dun^  and  smeared  with  ashes.  These 
courts  were  always  kept  scrupulously  clean.  The  Bari  hut  dif- 
fers from  that  of  other  tribes,  as  it  contains  an  inner  circle,  which 
can  only  be  reached  by  creeping  on  the  hands  and  knees — first 
through  the  entrance,  which  is  only  twenty-four  inches  high,  and 
secondly  from  the  passage  formed  by  the  inner  circle.  The  in- 
ner walls  are  formed  of  wattles  and  clay  neatly  smeared  or  plas- 
tered with  cement.  They  are  quickly  attacked  by  the  white 
ants,  which  destroy  the  wattles,  but  the  clay  is  sufficiently  tena- 
cious to  form  a  wall  when  the  wood  or  reeds  may  have  disap- 
peared. 

The  granaries  are  formed  of  wicker-work  supported  upon  up- 
right pedestals  of  either  hard  wood  or  of  stone,  to  resist  the  white 
ants ;  the  wicker-work  is  smeared  with  clay  and  cow-dung,  and 
the  roof  is  thatched  in  a  manner  similar  to  the  house. 

The  Baris  are  a  great  pastoral  people,  and  possess  immense 
herds  of  cattle.    These  are  generally  small  active  animals  with 


134 


ISMAILlA. 


humps;  white  is  the  prevailing  color.  The  sheep  are  small,  and 
the  mutton  is  good ;  but  although  the  fine  pasturage  of  the  Bari 
country  is  eminently  adapted  for  sheep  and  goats,  these  animals 
are  delicate,  and  require  much  attention  during  the  heavy  rains, 
at  which  time  they  are  always  kept  beneath  a  roof  at  night,  with 
fires  composed  of  dry  cow-dung,  to  create  a  smoke  that  will  drive 
away  flies  or  mosquitoes. 

Like  most  of  the  tribes  of  the  White  Nile,  the  Baris  have  a 
strong  objection  to  sell  their  cattle;  thus  you  may  be  surrounded 
by  plenty,  but  you  may  starve  in  the  midst  of  beef. 

Their  large  herds  are  confined  at  night  within  zareebas,  or 
kraals.  These  are  formidable  defenses.  The  cattle  zareeba  is 
a  circular  stockade  formed  of  a  hard  wood,  called  by  the  Arabs 
abou-noos  or  abdnoos  (ebony).  This  is  an  intensely  hard  black 
wood  somewhat  resembling  ebony.  Piles  as  thick  as  a  man's 
thigh  are  sunk  in  the  earth,  so  as  to  leave  a  fence  or  stockade  of 
about  eight  feet  high  above  the  surface;  these  piles  are  placed  as 
close  as  possible  together,  and  interlaced  by  tough  hooked  thorns, 
which,  when  dry  and  contracted,  bind  the  stockade  into  a  very 
compact  defense.  The  entrance  to  this  fort  is  only  sufficiently 
large  to  admit  one  animal  at  a  time ;  thus  the  herd  can  be  easily 
counted.  Within  the  stockade  are  several  houses,  in  addition  to 
a  few  large  circular  sheds  for  the  protection  of  young  calves. 
The  sheep  and  goats  are  kept  in  a  separate  zareeba. 

All  the  operations  of  the  Baris  are  conducted  by  signals  given 
by  the  drum,  precisely  as  our  military  movements  are  directed 
by  bugle-calls.  The  great  drum  that  belongs  to  the  head  man, 
or  sheik,  is  suspended  beneath  an  open  shed,  so  that  it  is  always 
protected  from  weather,  and  at  the  same  time  the  sound  could 
travel  unchecked.  These  drums  are  cut  and  scooped  with  great 
labor  from  a  peculiar  wood,  which  is  exceedingly  tough,  and  will 
not  easily  split.  The  Bari  drum  is  exactly  the  shape  of  an  egg 
with  a  slice  taken  off  the  thicker  end.  Some  of  these  instruments 
are  very  large,  and  as  much  as  two  men  could  carry  on  a  pole. 
Both  ends  are  hollowed  through  and  secured  with  hide,  but  the 
broad  end  forms  the  actual  drum.  This  is  beaten  with  two  short 
sticks  of  hard  wood.  In  the  early  morning,  shortly  before  sun- 
rise, the  hollow  sound  of  the  big  drum  is  always  heard  giving  the 
signal  by  a  certain  number  of  beats  for  the  milking  of  the  cows. 
The  women  and  young  men  then  commence,  and  when  the  oper- 
ation is  completed  the  drum  beats  again,  and  the  large  herds  are 
driven  to  pasturage.  The  signal  is  repeated  in  the  evening. 
Should  an  enemy  attack  the  country,  the  sheik's  big  drum  gives 


WARLIKE  CHARACTER  OF  BARIS. 


135 


the  alarm  by  a  peculiar  series  of  beats,  which  if  once  heard  can 
easily  be  remembered.  In  a  few  seconds  this  loud  alarm  will  be 
re-echoed  by  every  drum  throughout  the  numerous  villages,  and 
the  news  of  the  attack  will  thus  spread  by  signal  as  fast  as  sound 
can  travel.  A  certain  beat  of  the  sheik's  big  drum  is  the  call  for 
a  general  assembly,  in  which  case,  should  an  enemy  appear,  the 
whole  forces  of  the  district  can  be  concentrated  in  one  point. 

The  weapons  of  the  Baris  are  finely-wrought  lances,  and  bows 
with  horribly  barbed  arrows.  They  seldom  carry  shields,  as  they 
are  difficult  to  manage  together  with  the  bow,  and  they  impede 
the  rapid  movements  which  are  the  chief  feature  in  Bari  tactics. 

The  men  are  generally  tall  and  powerful,  always  naked  and 
smeared  with  ashes,  or  on  great  occasions  with  red  ochre  and 
grease.  The  women  are  not  absolutely  bad -looking,  but  real 
beauties  are  extremely  rare.  They  wear  an  apron  before  and  be- 
hind, of  tanned  leather,  extending  nearly  to  the  knees,  which  is 
only  the  outer  garment,  beneath  which  they  wear  a  neatly-made 
fringe  of  innumerable  strings,  formed  of  finely-spun  cotton  thread, 
suspended  from  a  leather  belt.  Some  of  the  wealthy  possess 
fringe  composed  of  iron  rings,  neatly  worked,  so  as  to  form  a 
kind  of  shirt  of  mail. 

Every  man  is  a  warrior  from  his  childhood,  as  the  Baris  are 
always  at  war.  They  are  extremely  clever  in  the  use  of  the 
lance,  which  they  can  throw  with  great  accuracy  for  a  distance 
of  thirty  yards,  and  they  can  pitch  it  into  a  body  of  men  at 
upward  of  fifty  yards.  From  early  childhood  the  boys  are  in 
constant  practice,  both  with  the  lance  and  the  bow  and  arrow; 
thus,  although  their  weapons  are  inferior  to  fire-arms  properly 
used,  they  are  dangerous  in  the  hands  of  proficients  against  men 
who,  like  my  troops,  were  utterly  ignorant  of  the  art  of  shooting. 

Fortunately  for  my  expedition,  the  warlike  Baris  were  not 
united  throughout  their  territory.  Nevertheless,  I  discovered 
that  the  Baris  of  Gondokoro  had  made  an  alliance  with  those 
of  Belinian,  twelve  miles  from  head-quarters.  I  observed  that 
women  were  constantly  passing  to  and  fro  with  baskets  on  their 
heads,  carrying  salt  from  Gondokoro,  and  each  returning  with  a 
goat  led  by  a  string.  Excellent  salt  is  found  at  Gondokoro,  real 
chloride  of  sodium;  and  this  article  enables  the  natives  of  that 
district  to  trade  with  the  interior,  where  salt  is  extremely  rare, 
and  of  great  value.  I  had  remarked  that  women,  and  some- 
times men,  were  met  in  my  rambles  through  the  forest,  on  their 
way  to  Belinian  by  this  concealed  route,  instead  of  taking  the 
open  path.    This  aroused  my  suspicion,  as  the  chief,  Allorron, 

11 


130 


ISMAIL/A. 


and  his  people  declared  that  they  were  enemies  of  the  Belinian 
natives. 

The  position  had  become  intolerable.  The  fact  could  no  long- 
er be  concealed  that  the  Baris  were  hostile.  No  positive  out- 
break had  occurred,  but  the  natives  were  sullen  in  their  demean- 
or, and  generally  avoided  the  new  settlement.  Butchers'  meat 
was  exceedingly  scarce,  as  we  had  only  a  few  cows  that  had  been 
given  during  the  voyage  by  the  vakeel  of  the  Bohr  station.  The 
troops  were  without  rations  of  meat.  At  the  same  time  there 
were  thousands  of  cattle  on  the  islands  before  their  eyes,  not  one 
of  which  could  be  purchased  from  the  natives.  Although  the 
natives  refused  to  assist  us  in  any  way,  or  to  supply  us  with  cat- 
tle at  any  price,  they  drove  their  herds  across  from  the  island  to 
the  main-land  to  fatten  on  the  fine  pasturage  under  the  govern- 
ment protection.  This  pasturage,  having  been  abandoned  by 
them  and  occupied  by  the  government  troops,  had  naturally  be- 
come the  property  of  the  Khedive.  The  natives  had  no  more 
right  to  the  soil  from  which  they  had  been  driven,  than  the 
French  would  have  to  Alsace  and  Lorraine,  should  those  prov- 
inces be  occupied  by  a  foreign  power  which  had  driven  out  the 
Germans. 

The  last  vessels  having  arrived,  terminated  the  voyage  from 
Tewfikeeyah,  which  had  occupied  five  months  and  twenty-two 
days.  The  troops,  who  had  suffered  much  by  fatigue  in  cutting 
through  the  marshes,  had  not  been  absolutely  relieved  by  their 
arrival  in  the  clear  White  Nile.  The  north  wind  changed  sud- 
denly to  the  south,  in  which  unfavorable  quarter  it  continued 
steadily  for  a  month;  thus  my  unfortunate  men  had  to  tow  the 
vessels  along  the  banks  against  wind  and  stream  for  about  three 
hundred  miles  from  Wat-el-Shambi  to  Gondokoro.  Upon  arri- 
val at  that  station,  which  I  had  described  to  them  as  the  "Prom- 
ised Land,"  they  found  a  lovely  park,  but  without  a  single  dwell- 
ing. Instead  of  being  received  as  deliverers  by  a  friendly  and 
grateful  population,  they  met  with  neglect  and  ill-will  from  a 
tribe  of  robbers,  allies  of  the  traders,  who  fattened  upon  the  spoil 
of  weaker  neighbors. 

After  all  their  hard  work  and  suffering  in  attaining  the  prom- 
ised paradise,  they  found  only  additional  labor  awaiting  them, 
as  they  had  to  wander  several  miles  in  search  of  long  thatch- 
grass  and  timber  to  construct  the  new  station,  in  which  fatigue 
they  were  entirely  unassisted  by  the  sullen  inhabitants. 

Added  to  these  disappointments,  the  men  were  hungry,  and  no 


Fig.  4. 


Fig.  5. 


Fig.  1.— Packet  of  plaited  rope  of  Uganda,  in  the  exact  shape  as  presented  by  the  natives. 
2.— Sandal  of  rawhide,  as  made  in  Unyoro. 
■  8, — Skull  of  the  BdUnieem  rex.     The  powerful  spear-like  beak  is  used  for  crushing  the  shells  of 

the  large  helix  and  other  mollnska  of  the  White  Nile. 
"   4. — The  iron  molote,  or  spade,  of  the  Bari  and  Madi  tribes,  one-third  of  the  original  size. 
"  .'.—Pipe-bowl  of  the  .Ban  tribe. 


PEEP  ARE  FOR  OFFICIAL  ANNEXATION. 


137 


cattle  could  be  purchased  from  my  new  subjects,  who  were  ob- 
stinate and  refractory. 

I  had  a  serious  conversation  with  Sheik  Allorron,  during 
which  I  clearly  defined  our  relative  positions,  and  represented 
to  him  in  the  strongest  terms  the  folly  of  trusting  to  the  support 
of  Abou  Saood  and  his  people  against  the  government,  as  they 
were  all  subjects  of  the  Khedive,  and  bound  to  obey  my  orders. 
At  the  same  time  I  informed  him  of  the  absolute  necessity  of 
cattle  for  the  supply  of  the  troops,  which  I  promised  to  pay  for. 

I  clearly  saw  that  the  miserable  policy  of  these  people  was  to 
starve  the  troops  into  the  supposed  necessity  of  evacuating  the 
position,  and  returning  to  Khartoum.  I  represented  to  Allorron 
the  danger  of  trifling  with  a  hungry  lion,  at  which  he  grinned, 
as  a  good  joke,  and  immediately  replied,  "If  you  want  cattle,  I 
will  give  you  some  of  my  people  as  guides,  and  you  can  go  and 
attack  a  neighbor  of  mine,  and  capture  his  herds,  which  will  last 
you  for  a  long  time."  I  replied  that  I  could  not  injure  any  one 
who  had  not  committed  an  offense,  but  as  he  for  the  last  time 
refused  assistance,  I  should  not  permit  his  herds  to  graze  upon 
my  pasturage  ;  therefore  I  begged  they  might  be  confined  to  the 
island. 

At  the  same  time  I  officially  invited  Allorron  and  all  the  head 
men  of  the  country,  including  the  Sheik  of  Belinian,  to  an  enter- 
tainment. I  intended,  formally  and  officially,  to  annex  the  coun- 
try to  Egypt. 


138 


IXMAILl'A. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

OFFICIAL  ANNEXATION. 

On  May  26th,  1871,  all  was  in  order.  A  flag-staff  about  eighty 
feet  high  had  been  neatly  erected  by  Lieutenant  Baker  on  the 
highest  point  of  land  overlooking  the  river.  Every  small  bush 
had  been  cleared  away,  and  the  position  in  the  centre  of  an  open 
park-like  country  would  have  formed  an  admirable  race-course. 
The  troops,  having  had  two  days'  rest  to  wash  their  clothes  and 
burnish  up  their  arms  and  accoutrements,  marched  from  the  sta- 
tion at  Gondokoro  at  6  A.M. 

I  had  one  thousand  two  hundred  men  on  the  ground,  includ- 
ing ten  mountain  rifled  guns  throwing  eight  and  a  quarter  pound 
shell. 

In  their  clean  white  uniforms,  with  the  neat  koofeeia,  or  sun- 
cloth,  which,  covering  the  head,  drooped  gracefully  upon  the 
shoulders,  the  troops  showed  to  great  advantage,  as  they  march- 
ed with  the  band  playing  from  head -quarters  to  the  flag -staff 
above  my  station.  As  they  filed  through  the  green  trees,  and 
then  formed  into  sections  of  companies  as  they  emerged  into  the 
open  ground,  the  effect  was  exceedingly  good,  and  the  sheik  Al- 
lorron  and  his  friends,  the  head  men  of  many  villages,  looked 
with  amazement  upon  a  scene  that  was  altogether  new  to  them. 

Having  arrived  opposite  the  flag-staff,  the  troops  formed  in  line 
two  deep  on  the  flat  grassy  surface  of  the  heights  above  my  sta- 
tion. The  long  row  of  glittering  bayonets  and  the  gay  uniforms 
of  the  officers  bewildered  the  astonished  natives.  All  the  sailors, 
servants,  and  camp-followers  were  dressed  in  their  best  clothes. 
The  prevailing  colors,  white  and  red,  looked  exceedingly  gay  upon 
the  close  and  even  surface  of  the  green  turf.  My  staff  was  com- 
posed of  my  aids-de-camp,  Lieutenant  Baker,  B.N.,  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  together  with  three  other  officers,  and  Mr. 
Higginbotham.  At  that  time  the  horses  were  all  in  excellent 
condition. 

Having  ridden  along  the  line  and  halted  beneath  the  flag,  the 
troops  formed  three  sides  of  a  square,  with  the  flag-staff  in  the 
centre.  The  fourth  side  facing  the  river,  was  then  occupied  by 
the  artillery,  with  ten  guns. 


THE  PLUM-PUDDING  ANNEXED. 


139 


The  formality  of  reading  the  official  proclamation,  describing 
the  annexation  of  the  country  to  Egypt  in  the  name  of  the  Khe- 
dive, then  took  place  at  the  foot  of  the  flag-staff.  At  the  termi- 
nation of  the  last  sentence,  the  Ottoman  flag  was  quickly  run  up 
by  the  halyards,  and  fluttered  in  the  strong  breeze  at  the  mast- 
head. The  officers,  with  drawn  swords,  saluted  the  flag,  the 
troops  presented  arms,  and  the  batteries  of  artillery  fired  a  royal 
salute. 

This  ceremony  being  completed,  the  troops  marched  past;  af- 
ter which  they  formed  in  order  for  a  supposed  attack  upon  an 
imaginary  enemy,  and  fired  away  about  ten  thousand  rounds  of 
blank  cartridge  in  the  advance  down  the  long  slope  which  led 
to  the  temporary  camp  and  tents  erected  for  the  entertainment. 
Here  the  bugle  sounded  "disperse!"  and  all  the  men  immediate- 
ly set  to  work  to  light  fires  and  prepare  the  food  that  had  been 
already  supplied  for  their  dinners.  I  believe  this  was  the  only 
day  of  real  enjoyment  that  the  troops  had  had.  The  hours  pass- 
ed in  rest  and  sleep  until  sunset. 

I  had  invited  fourteen  of  the  officers  to  dine  with  me,  and  our 
party  of  eighteen  was  easily  accommodated  on  the  roomy  poop- 
deck  of  my  diahbeeah. 

The  Englishmen  had  a  table  to  themselves  in  the  garden,  and 
were  regaled  with  roast-beef  and  real  English  plum-pudding,  that, 
having  been  brought  out  in  tins  for  Christmas-dav,  could  not  be 
found  during  the  voyage;  therefore  it  added  to  the  feast  of  the 
"day  of  annexation,"  and  was  annexed  accordingly  by  English 
appetites.  This  was  washed  down  and  rendered  wholesome  by  a 
quantity  of  pure  filtered  water  from  the  river  Nile,  which  was  in- 
cluded in  the  annexation,  and  was  represented  in  the  Nile  basin 
mixed  with  Jamaica  rum,  sugar,  nutmeg,  and  lemon -juice  from 
the  fruit  of  the  trees  planted  by  the  good  Austrian  missionaries 
at  Gondokoro.  Little  did  they  think,  poor  fellows,  of  the  jollifi- 
cation to  which  their  lemons  would  subscribe  when  they  first 
sowed  the  good  seeds. 

When  dinner  was  over,  we  repaired  to  the  large  divan  tents, 
where  refreshments  were  arranged,  and  the  magic  lantern  was 
prepared  for  the  amusement  of  officers  and  men.  This  was 
an  admirable  machine,  and  was  well  exhibited  by  Lieutenant 
Baker.  No  one  had  ever  seen  such  an  exhibition  before,  there- 
fore it  caused  immense  satisfaction.  One  of  the  representations 
that  was  most  applauded  was  Moses  going  through  the  Bed  Sea 
with  the  Israelites,  followed  by  Pharaoh.  The  story  being  well 
known  to  all  Mohammedans,  the  performance  was  encored  with 


140 


ISM  AIL  Li. 


such  energy  that  Moses  bad  to  go  through  the  Eed  Sea  twice; 
and  they  would  have  insisted  upon  his  crossing  a  third  time,  had 
the  slide  not  been  rapidly  exchanged  for  another  subject. 

The  formal  ceremony  of  annexation  was  over,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary to  decide  upon  the  future. 

I  had  issued  the  following  camp  regulations: 

1.  "No  person  shall  cut,  or  in  other  ways  destroy,  any  tama- 
rind or  oil  tree  under  any  pretext  whatever.  Neither  shall  any 
tree  whatsoever  be  either  cut  or  damaged  within  a  distance  of 
two  thousand  paces  from  the  flag-staff  or  camp. 

2.  "No  person  shall  stray  beyond  two  thousand  paces  of  the 
flag-staff  or  camp  without  permission  either  from  the  Pasha  or 
Kaouf  Bey. 

3.  "No  person  shall  trade  in  ivory;  neither  shall  any  person 
accept  ivory  as  a  present  or  in  exchange;  neither  shall  any  per- 
son shoot,  or  cause  to  be  shot,  elephants,  all  ivory  being  the 
property  and  monopoly  of  the  government  of  His  Highness  the 
Khedive  of  Egypt. 

4.  "  No  person  shall  either  purchase  or  receive  slaves  as  pres- 
ents or  in  exchange. 

"Any  person  transgressing  b}>-  disobedience  of  the  above  laws 
will  be  punished  as  the  will  of  Baker  Pasha  may  direct. 

"  S.  W.  Baker." 

My  men  were  hard  at  work  erecting  magazines  and  building 
the  station ;  and  had  I  not  issued  the  above  regulations,  they 
would  have  cut  down  every  ornamental  tree  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. Although  the  mission-house  had  disappeared,  the  founda- 
tions remained;  I  dug  them  up,  and  procured  sufficient  sound 
bricks  to  build  a  powder-magazine,  which  I  covered  with  a  gal- 
vanized iron  roof,  and  protected  my  ammunition. 

Several  of  the  Egyptian  soldiers  deserted.  These  people,  who 
were  for  the  most  part  convicts,  although  professing  Islamism, 
preferred  to  live  with  the  natives  to  the  steady  discipline  of  mil- 
itary life. 

One  evening  the  sentry  on  guard  before  the  house  of  Lieuten- 
ant Baker  and  Mr.  Higginbotham  was  observed  by  Mr.  Baker's 
soldier-servant  (a  black)  to  lay  his  rifle  on  the  ground  and  to 
enter  stealthily  the  door-way  of  his  hut.  Abdullah  Maseri,  the 
servant,  lost  no  time  in  running  toward  the  hut,  which  he  quiet- 
ly entered  in  the  dusk  without  being  perceived  by  the  thief  with- 
in, who,  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Baker,  was  pillaging  his  boxes. 

Abdullah  quietly  crept  up  behind  him,  pinned  him  by  the 


CAPTURE  OF  A  THIEF. 


141 


back  of  the  neck,  and  held  him  until  he  obtained  assistance. 
There  was  no  escape  from  conviction,  therefore  I  sentenced  the 
thief  to  receive  one  hundred  lashes,  and  to  be  confined  in  irons. 

While  he  was  undergoing  the  punishment  he  yelled  for  mercy, 
saying,  "I  will  confess — I  will  confess  all.  It  was  I  who  entered 
the  Pasha's  room  at  Tewfikeeyah.  It  was  at  me  that  the  Pasha 
fired  the  pistol !  Put  me  in  irons,  but  don't  flog  me ;  I  will  con- 
fess all." 

This  man  was  an  Egyptian  belonging  to  the  ''Forty  Thieves," 
and  he  now  confessed  his  former  delinquency.  He  was  secured 
in  irons  and  placed  under  a  guard.  The  fellow  had  been  a  pro- 
fessional thief,  and  during  the  night  he  managed  to  slip  off  his 
irons  and  make  his  escape,  no  doubt  with  the  connivance  of  the 
sentry. 

The  fact  of  the  natives  receiving  the  deserters  was  enough  to 
suggest  the  suspicion  that  they  were  tampering  with  the  troops. 
Although  the  Baris  would  neither  work  nor  assist  in  any  man- 
ner, they  continued,  in  spite  of  my  warning,  to  swim  their  cattle 
across  to  the  pasturage  on  the  main-land  occupied  by  the  troops. 

I  again  gave  the  sheik  Allorron  notice  that,  if  he  continued 
to  drive  his  cattle  to  the  forbidden  pasture,  they  would  be  con- 
fiscated. 

On  the  following  morning  they  returned  to  the  main-land  as 
usual,  not  the  slightest  notice  having  been  taken  of  my  repeated 
and  official  warning. 

I  gave  orders  to  secure  them.  About  ten  men  of  the  "  Forty 
Thieves"  quietly  explained  the  order  to  the  natives  who  guard- 
ed the  cattle,  and  without  any  remonstrance  they  drove  them  to 
my  station,  and  stood  guard  around  the  herd. 

The  natives  returned  to  the  island,  and  reported  the  affair  to 
the  sheik  Allorron  and  his  people. 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  the  sheik,  accompanied  by 
fifteen  head  men  of  villages  and  a  number  of  natives,  together 
with  Tomby  the  interpreter,  attended  and  formed  a  deputation. 
I  received  them  beneath  the  shady  tree  near  my  diahbeeah. 
They  looked  very  sheepish,  and  asked  me,  "Why  had  I  confis- 
cated their  cattle  ?" 

I  explained  the  reason  ;  and  they  at  length  acknowledged  that 
they  had  no  positive  right  of  pasturage,  as  they  had  been  driven 
from  their  country  by  the  Loquia,  and,  were  it  not  for  my  pres- 
ence, they  could  not  venture  to  drive  their  cattle  to  the  main- 
land. At  the  same  time  they  explained  that  the  extreme  dryness 
of  the  season  had  exhausted  the  grass  upon  the  island  after  the 


U2 


ISMAILlA. 


close  grazing  of  the  large  herds  ;  thus  they  had  imagined  I  should 
not  have  any  real  objection  to  their  pasturing  upon  the  east 
banks,  which,  as  I  had  no  cattle,  would  otherwise  be  neglected. 

I  explained  that  the  government  must  be  obeyed,  and  that,  as 
they  had  disobeyed  every  order,  I  should  take  charge  of  their 
cattle  (about  two  hundred)  until  they  showed  a  disposition  to  ac- 
cept the  Khedive's  authority.  At  the  same  time,  if  the  natives 
would  bring  thatch -grass  and  assist  the  troops  in  forming  the 
station  (a  work  which  they  had  always  performed  annually  for 
Abou  Saood's  people),  I  would  return  them  their  cattle. 

A  long  conversation  ensued  among  the  head  men,  several  of 
whom  rose  in  succession,  and  addressed  the  meeting  with  great 
energy  and  fluency.  They  declared  that  there  had  been  a  gen- 
eral misunderstanding,  but  that  they  now  began  to  comprehend 
their  position.  I  informed  them  that  they  must  themselves  ap- 
point a  responsible  sheik,  or  head  man,  as  many  had  refused  to 
obey  Allorron.  I  should  regard  one  chief  as  their  representative, 
and  they  as  head  men  must  elect  him  at  the  present  assembly.  I 
should  also  place  the  power  in  the  hands  of  the  chief,  whose  or- 
ders must  be  obeyed  by  the  head  men  of  the  villages.  This  chief 
would  be  responsible  to  me  for  the  acts  of  those  beneath  him,  and 
I  should  punish  all  those  who  refused  to  acknowledge  his  au- 
thority. 

The  meeting  ended  most  satisfactorily.  The  natives  explained 
that,  although  Allorron  had  been  the  ostensible  sheik  for  a  great 
length  of  time,  the  true  sheik  by  actual  descent  was  a  chief  named 
Morbe ;  but  as  his  cattle  had  been  carried  off  by  the  Loquia,  he 
had  lost  his  property,  and  also  his  influence  among  the  people. 
In  those  savage  countries  the  possession  of  property  is  considered 
absolutely  necessary  to  a  man  in  a  high  position. 

Morbe  was  elected  unanimously  as  the  sheik  responsible  to  the 
government.  All  head  men  declared  they  would  obey  his  or- 
ders ;  even  Allorron  appeared  pleased  that  he  had  shifted  his  re- 
sponsibility upon  the  shoulders  of  another.  The  head  men  all 
promised  that  they  would  beat  their  drums  and  summon  their 
people  on  their  return  to  their  villages,  and  that  on  the  morrow 
they  would  collect  bamboos  and  thatch-grass  for  any  purpose  we 
might  require.  The  meeting  ended  by  their  agreeing  to  deliver 
a  certain  number  of  bundles  in  a  given  period;  they  also  prom- 
ised to  supply  the  troops  with  oxen  at  a  stipulated  price.  Morbe, 
the  new  sheik,  then  addressed  me  in  the  name  of  the  assembly, 
and  begged  me  to  establish  confidence  and  good-will  by  return- 
ing them  their  cattle.    I  had  expected  this  request.    I  therefore 


NATIVE  PROPOSALS. 


143 


replied  that,  as  they  had  attended  my  summons  and  promised 
obedience,  I  would  test  their  sincerity  by  returning  them  not 
only  their  own  cattle,  but  I  would  trust  them  with  the  care  of 
my  three  large  breeding-cows  that  I  had  brought  from  the  Bohr 
country;  at  the  same  time  I  gave  them  fair  warning  that,  if  they 
broke  the  agreement  now  entered  upon,  I  should  not  be  in  a 
hurry  to  return  their  cattle  on  a  future  occasion.  They  seemed 
to  be  quite  satisfied,  and  the  meeting  broke  up. 

They  drove  off  the  herd,  together  with  my  three  cows,  while 
my  soldiers  looked  on  with  utter  amazement,  and  regarded  me 
as  though  I  had  lost  my  senses. 

Although  I  had  entered  into  this  agreement,  the  natives  had 
not  the  slightest  idea  of  carrying  out  their  promises.  A  few  bun- 
dles of  bamboos  were  brought,  also  some  thatch-grass,  but  not  an 
ox  was  given  to  the  troops.  The  sheik  of  Belinian  had  refused 
to  appear;  and  he  alleged  as  an  excuse  that  he  feared  treachery, 
since  his  father  and  family  had  been  murdered  when  guests  of 
Abou  Saood.  The  Baris  of  Gondokoro  had  regained  their  cattle, 
and  they  did  not  trouble  themselves  about  their  contract,  as  they 
inwardly  hoped  that,  by  starving  us,  they  might  succeed  in  dis- 
gusting the  troops,  which  would  necessitate  the  abandonment  of 
the  expedition. 

A  few  days  after  the  breach  of  contract,  Tomby,  the  interpret- 
er, appeared,  and  told  me  that  the  Baris  had  refused  to  work,  and 
that  the  government  would  not  succeed  in  that  country.  The 
people  wished  me  to  join  them  with  my  troops,  and  to  attack 
their  old  enemy,  Loquia.  I  should  then  obtain  cattle  and  sheep 
in  the  razzia,  and  the  government  would  be  independent. 

This  was  the  regular  negro  system,  which  had  originally  intro- 
duced the  slave-trade  throughout  the  White  Nile.  One  tribe  in- 
variably requests  the  alliance  of  a  superior  force  to  attack  some 
powerful  neighbor;  the  prisoners  of  war  become  slaves.  When 
trading  adventurers  first  commenced  on  the  White  Nile,  the  na- 
tives sold  ivory  for  beads  and  copper  bracelets,  and  trade  was  fair- 
ly established.  The  armed  companies  of  the  traders  were  imme- 
diately invited  to  become  allies,  and  attacks  were  made  upon  the 
various  tribes.  The  cattle  and  slaves  became  the  property  of  the 
captors.  The  traders  quickly  discovered  that  it  was  far  easier 
and  more  profitable  to  steal  cattle  and  slaves  to  exchange  for 
ivory  than  to  import  goods  from  Khartoum.  They  commenced 
the  system  of  cattle-lifting  and  slave-hunting,  which  rapidly  in- 
creased until  it  arrived  at  the  immense  scale  already  described. 

I  preached  morality  in  vain  to  the  Baris.    They  were  mere 


144 


ISMAILlA. 


ruffians,  and  they  longed  for  the  arrival  of  Abou  Saood,  who 
would  once  more  give  them  an  opportunity  of  joining  his  people 
to  plunder  and  enslave  the  tribes  of  the  interior.  It  was  in  vain 
that  I  assured  them  of  the  impossibility  of  such  proceedings,  and 
that  Abou  Saood's  people  would  not  be  permitted  by  the  gov- 
ernment to  continue  such  atrocities.  They  ridiculed  the  idea, 
and  declared  that  the  traders  would  always  continue  in  their  old 
customs,  notwithstanding  the  presence  of  the  Khedive's  officers. 
They  said  that  no  business  could  be  done  in  any  other  way  in 
those  countries;  they  advised  me  to  "take  women  and  cattle,  and 
then  the  natives  would  listen  to  my  advice,  but  not  otherwise." 

It  was  utter  folly  to  attempt  negotiations  with  these  people; 
they  were  the  most  brutal  and  obtuse  savages.  They  had  been 
abandoned  by  the  missionaries  as  hopeless,  and  they  wrould  ac- 
knowledge nothing  but  force. 

The  troops  were  discontented.  After  all  their  fatigues,  the 
promised  land  was  starvation.  There  was  still  much  work  to  be 
done,  as  the  expedition  wras  in  fact  only  commencing.  By  de- 
grees the  Baris  absented  themselves  entirely  from  our  camp,  and 
we  were  left  to  ourselves  as  utter  strangers.  The  cattle  were 
driven  over  to  our  fine  pasturage  daily,  and  returned  at  night  to 
their  island;  but  not  an  ox,  or  even  a  goat,  was  ever  offered  for 
sale,  and  all  communication  between  us  and  the  natives  had  ap- 
parently ceased. 

It  was  quite  impossible  to  allow  this  to  continue.  I  gave  the 
order,  and  once  more  the  soldiers  quietly  surrounded  the  herd  of 
cattle,  and  drove  them  to  head-quarters  as  before.  The  old  scene 
was  re-enacted.  The  new  sheik,  Morbe,  together  with  Allorron 
and  many  head  men,  arrived.  Again  a  long  palaver  took  place, 
through  the  medium  of  Tomby,  the  interpreter,  and  the  promises 
of  good  behavior  were  renewed. 

I  informed  them  that  I  should  not  confiscate  their  cattle,  but 
I  should  keep  them  as  hostages  for  their  good  behavior;  at  the 
same  time  I  should  select  a  certain  number  of  oxen  as  food  for 
the  troops,  which  should  be  paid  for. 

The  meeting  terminated  with  fresh  assurances  of  good-will.  .  .  . 
A  few  da}'s  elapsed,  but  the  Baris  did  not  return ;  wTe  were  com- 
pletely abandoned. 

On  May  29th  the  camp  was  disturbed  at  night  by  an  attempt 
of  the  natives  to  drive  off  some  of  the  cattle.  The  sentry  fired, 
but  without  effect.    I  foresaw  trouble. 

On  June  1st  I  issued  a  general  order  to  the  troops: 

"  The  natives  of  the  Bari  having  disobeyed  the  summons  of  the 


A  BREACH  OF  THE  PEACE  AT  HAM).  145 

government,  and  having  refused  compliance  with  the  regulations 
established,  it  has  become  necessary  to  compel  them  to  obedience 
by  force. 

"  In  the  event  of  hostilities,  I  specially  forbid  the  capture  of 
women,  or  children  of  either  sex.  Any  officer  or  soldier  disobey- 
ing this  order  will  suffer  death.  S.  W.  Baker." 

I  felt  certain  that  a  breach  of  the  peace  was  at  hand,  and  I 
made  arrangements  accordingly.  The  troops  were  daily  engaged 
in  building  the  station,  in  which  they  were  assisted  by  the  sailors, 
all  of  whom  were  obliged  to  carry  the  material  from  a  distance 
of  two  miles  from  the  forest.  A  party  of  sawyers,  with  a  small 
escort  of  soldiers,  were  settled  in  a  camp  about  three  miles  from 
my  station,  as  the  distance  was  too  great  for  a  daily  return  from 
their  work.  One  night  they  were  attacked  by  the  natives,  who 
shot  arrows  and  yelled  for  about  an  hour,  but  fortunately  did  not 
succeed  in  wounding  any  of  the  men,  who  were  well  protected 
by  the  trunks  of  some  very  large  trees.  The  soldiers  had  fired 
away  a  considerable  amount  of  ammunition  in  return,  until  they 
managed  to  escape  during  the  darkness,  and  ran  away  to  head- 
quarters. 

On  June  3d,  at  about  3  P.M.,  when  the  cattle  were  grazing  in 
the  beautiful  park-like  ground  about  a  mile  from  head -quarters, 
some  Baris,  who  had  stealthily  approached  the  herd  by  stalk- 
ing from  bush  to  bush  without  being  observed  by  the  sleepy 
guards,  made  a  sudden  rush,  with  loud  yells,  among  the  cattle, 
and  succeeded  in  driving  off  ten  cows,  with  which  they  swam 
the  river  without  a  shot  being  fired  by  the  unready  soldiers. 

On  the  night  of  June  4th  two  natives  were  captured  by  the 
sentries.  These  people  had  crept  in  the  pitch  darkness,  until 
they  had  succeeded  in  entering  the  cattle  zareeba.  One  of  them 
confessed  that  a  large  body  of  natives  was  assembled  in  the  high 
grass  near  the  banks  of  the  river,  with  the  intention  of  attacking 
the  zareeba  during  the  night. 

I  immediately  took  eighteen  men  and  posted  them  in  three 
parties  of  six  at  various  points  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
my  station.  They  were  to  lie  concealed  in  these  positions,  which 
commanded  every  approach  to  the  camp. 

At  10.30  p.m.  I  was  aroused  by  the  sound  of  firing,  and  upon 
arrival  at  the  spot  I  found  that  the  sentries  had  fired  into  the 
advanced  party  of  natives,  some  of  whom  they  declared  to  be 
wounded,  but  I  could  find  no  trace  of  blood. 

Open  war  had  commenced.    The  natives  had  deserted  their 

12 


14G 


ISM  A  ILIA. 


villages  on  the  portion  of  the  island  opposite  to  my  camp.  This 
island  was  about  seven  miles  in  length ;  therefore,  in  return  for 
the  attacks  made  upon  my  people  on  our  main -land,  I  deter- 
mined to  pay  the  Baris  a  visit  on  the  island. 

I  issued  the  necessary  orders.  At  3  a.m.,  on  June  5th,  five 
boats,  with  sixty  men,  dropped  silently  down  the  east  channel  of 
the  river,  with  orders  to  land  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  island. 
At  the  same  time  two  companies  of  troops  landed  on  the  island 
opposite  my  station,  where  they  waited  in  the  dark  until  the 
steamer,  with  myself  and  two  companies  on  board,  had  rounded 
the  head  of  the  island,  and  had  obtained  a  position  in  the  west 
channel.  The  troops  then  advanced  along  the  island,  while  the 
steamer  ran  easily  down  the  strong  current.  Every  thing  went 
well;  but  the  noise  of  the  paddles  quickly  gave  the  alarm,  and 
the  sound  of  a  big  drum  in  the  distance  was  almost  immediately 
responded  to  by  many  others  from  various  points. 

The  steamer  now  ran  at  half  speed  along  the  river,  with  the 
intention  of  cutting  off  any  native  canoes,  or  intercepting  any 
herds  of  cattle  that  might  be  passing  to  the  west  main -land. 
Every  arrangement  was  well  carried  out;  but,  unfortunately,  as 
we  were  running  at  about  nine  miles  an  hour,  the  steamer  sud- 
denly struck  upon  a  sand-bank,  where  she  remained  fixed. 

After  some  vain  attempts  to  float  her,  I  instructed  Raouf  Bey 
to  do  his  best  with  her,  and  act,  according  to  circumstances,  at 
his  own  discretion,  while  I  left  the  steamer  in  the  dingy,  ac- 
companied by  Lieutenant  Baker  and  six  soldiers  of  the  "  Forty 
Thieves,"  with  the  intention  of  joining  the  two  companies  under 
Lieutenant-colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  who  were  marching  clown  the 
island  from  south  to  north. 

We  rowed  down  the  stream  for  forty-five  minutes  along  the 
west  bank  of  the  island.  I  had  calculated  the  distance  by  time; 
and  having  allowed  for  the  delay  on  the  steamer  and  the  pace  at 
which  the  troops  under  Abd-el-Kader  would  march,  I  concluded 
that  we  should  now  land  somewhere  near  them.  This  turned 
out  correct,  as  we  joined  his  party  a  few  minutes  after  we  had 
left  the  boat.  I  immediately  detached  a  sergeant  and  nineteen 
men  to  march  along  the  east  bank  until  they  should  meet  my 
boat,  which  had  been  ordered  to  continue  along  the  west  bank 
until  it  should  turn  round  the  tail  of  the  island,  when  it  was  to 
return  home  by  the  east  channel,  that  would  lead  direct  to  my 
station. 

We  had  not  seen  any  Baris  upon  the  island,  which  appeared 
to  be  quite  deserted.    The  character  of  the  ground  had  changed. 


BE  TURN  OF  THE  TROOPS. 


147 


We  had  left  the  dry  portion,  which  had  been  lately  sown  with 
dhurra,  and  we  had  arrived  among  scattered  masses  of  tall  reeds 
growing  from  mud  lately  hardened  by  the  sun,  and  full  of  deep 
cattle-ruts. 

I  threw  out  skirmishers,  as  we  shortly  entered  a  bad  piece  of 
country.  At  this  moment  we  heard  shots  fired  at  the  tail  of  the 
island,  about  two  miles  in  our  front. 

We  pushed  on  at  the  double,  until  stopped  by  a  deep  channel 
of  the  river  about  thirty  yards  wide.  On  the  other  side  we  now 
heard  the  horns  of  the  natives  and  the  lowing  of  cattle.  It  was 
necessary  to  skirt  the  banks  of  the  channel  through  thick  forest : 
thus,  following  the  stream,  we  shortly  arrived  at  the  main  river 
just  in  time  to  see  the  natives  at  a  distance  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
swimming  a  large  herd  of  cattle  across  the  stream  to  the  east 
shore,  where  they  landed  and  safely  gained  the  forest.  They 
were  quickly  pursued  by  the  troops,  who  having  landed  at  the 
tail  of  the  island,  were  in  chase;  and  being  supplied  with  boats, 
they  crossed  over  the  river  and  followed  hard  upon  the  track  of 
the  retreating  cattle. 

The  Baris  did  not  suspect  that  they  would  be  followed  to  the 
main  shore;  thus,  upon  reaching  the  forest,  they  continued  their 
retreat  leisurely.  My  black  troops  were  wonderful  runners; 
and,  when  once  upon  the  track  of  the  herd,  they  went  along  like 
hounds  and  overtook  the  Baris,  who  had  no  idea  of  the  pursuit 
until  the  soldiers  were  among  them.  The  affair  ended  by  the 
capture  of  a  portion  of  the  herd,  and  the  return  to  camp  at  5.30 
P.M.  We  had  eaten  nothing  since  the  previous  evening,  as  the 
boat  containing  our  breakfast  had  not  yet  appeared.  We  had 
been  on  our  legs  in  the  sun  for  fourteen  hours;  thus  we  were 
ready  for  dinner  on  the  return  to  camp.  I  was  anxious  about 
the  missing  boat.  On  the  following  day,  June  6th,  at  4.40  P.M., 
the  lost  dingy  arrived,  with  her  crew  all  safe.  They  had  miss- 
ed their  way  by  taking  a  wrong  channel  of  the  river,  which  led 
them  into  a  labyrinth  of  high,  reeds,  where  they  were  obliged  to 
pass  the  night  among  clouds  of  mosquitoes. 

On  the  following  morning  they  began  the  tedious  journey  by 
rowing  homeward  against  the  stream.  They  came  suddenly 
upon  a  large  body  of  natives,  who  immediately  attacked  them 
with  arrows,  one  of  which  went  through  the  trowsers  of  a  soldier. 
My  men  told  a  long  story,  and  made  themselves  out  to  be  perfect 
heroes;  but  my  servants  and  the  boatmen  told  a  very  different 
tale,  and  declared  that  they  had  thrown  themselves  down  in  the 
bottom  of  the  boat  to  avoid  the  arrows,  and  my  servant,  Moham- 


14ri 


ISMAILlA. 


med  Haroon,  had  himself  fired  my  heavy  gun,  loaded  with  mould- 
shot,  at  the  enemy. 

On  June  7th  I  discovered  that  the  Baris  of  Gondokoro  had 
leagued  themselves  with  the  natives  of  Belinian  against  us. 

They  had  attacked  conjointly  on  several  occasions.  On  this 
day  the  natives  in  force  having,  as  usual,  crept  stealthily  from 
bush  to  tree  without  being  perceived  by  the  soldiers,  made  a  sud- 
den rush  upon  the  cattle  guards,  and  shot  one  soldier  with  an  ar- 
row and  wounded  another  with  a  lance.  I  immediately  gave  or- 
ders for  an  attack  on  Belinian  that  night.  At  12.30  A.M.  I  left 
my  station  on  horseback,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker  and 
Mr.  Higginbotham,  together  with  Lieutenant- colonel  Abd-el-Ka- 
der  and  twenty  men  of  the  "Forty  Thieves."  Kot  a  word  was 
spoken,  as  it  was  important  to  march  without  the  slightest  noise 
that  might  alarm  the  native  scouts,  who  were  generally  prowl- 
ing about  throughout  the  night.  We  arrived  at  head-quarters,  a 
mile  and  a  half  distant,  where  four  companies,  with  one  gun,  had 
been  ordered  to  be  in  readiness.  At  1  a.m.  we  started  with  a 
Bari  guide  named  Sherroom,  who  had  volunteered  to  serve  me, 
together  with  his  friend  Morgian,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war.  These  men  spoke  Arabic;  and  since  the  flight  of  Tomb}', 
the  interpreter  (who  had  joined  our  enemies),  these  two  Baris 
were  our  invaluable  allies. 

The  route  to  Belinian  lay  for  the  first  two  miles  through  open 
park-like  country.  We  then  entered  the  forest,  where  the  dark- 
ness made  it  difficult  to  drag  the  gun,  the  wheels  of  which  con- 
stantly stuck  in  the  stumps  and  roots  of  trees.  Several  times  we 
had  to  halt  for  the  rear  to  come  up  with  this  unmanageable  gun. 
and  I  feared  the  delay  might  destroy  our  chance  of  taking  the 
enemy  by  surprise. 

To  make  matters  worse,  the  route  became  swampy.  Some- 
times the  horses  sank  nearly  hock -deep  in  mud,  which  in  the 
pitch  darkness  they  could  not  avoid.  In  such  places  it  required 
the  force  of  thirty  men  to  drag  the  gun,  and  the  delays  became 
serious.  Lieutenant-colonel  Tayib  Agha  commanded  the  three 
companies  of  Soudani  troops  who  escorted  the  field -piece,  and 
took  it  in  turns  to  assist  the  artillerymen  in  the  weary  work  of 
dragging  the  gun  through  swamps  and  bush. 

The  night  wore  on  ;  it  began  to  rain.  I  was  riding  in  advance 
with  Lieutenant  Baker,  Mr.  Higginbotham,  and  twenty  of  the 
"Forty  Thieves,"  while  Raouf  Bey  followed  me  with  fifty  Egyp- 
tian troops.  It  was  absolutely  necessary  to  push  on.  Tayib 
Agha  had  a  native  guide,  therefore  he  and  his  gun  could  take 


THE  NIGHT  MARCH 


141) 


care  of  themselves.  Accordingly  I  pushed  on  ahead  as  an  ad- 
vanced guard,  delighted  to  be  quit  of  the  impediment  of  artillery. 

In  about  an  hour  we  arrived  at  firm  ground,  and  the  country 
became  more  open  and  undulating.  The  clouds  began  to  break, 
and  the  rain  ceased.  We  pushed  briskly  forward  until,  after 
marching  at  the  pace  of  four  miles  per  hour,  the  guide,  Sherroom, 
suddenly  halted.  We  were  now  in  a  clear  space,  where  a  few 
large  trees  grew  in  a  clump  upon  our  right.  Sherroom,  who  ev- 
idently knew  every  inch  of  the  country,  now  whispered  that  we 
must  wait  here  in  silence,  as  there  were  villages  not  far  off,  and 
the  stockade  that  we  were  to  attack  was  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
borhood. It  was  nearly  5  A.M.;  and  although  we  had  marched 
since  one  o'clock,  we  were  not  more  than  nine  miles  from  Gon- 
dokoro.  I  trusted  that  our  halt  would  allow  the  rear  to  join  us 
with  the  gun  which  had  caused  so  much  delay. 

We  waited  for  about  half  an  hour  in  perfect  silence.  There 
was  not  a  star  upon  the  sky,  which  was  dark  and  murky ;  thus 
we  could  distinguish  nothing.  At  length  the  black  night  began 
to  grow  more  gray,  and  we  could  just  make  out  some  dark  masses, 
that  appeared  to  be  villages,  upon  the  right  and  left.  We  now 
marched  rapidly,  but  without  the  slightest  noise.  The  morning 
grew  grayer,  and  birds  began  to  whistle.  We  could  now  distin- 
guish trees  and  the  tall  crops  of  dhurra. 

There  was  no  sign  of  Tayib  Agha  and  his  detachment,  but  it 
was  absolutely  necessary  to  push  forward. 

We  were  thus  hurrying  on,  sometimes  through  cultivated  fields, 
at  others  through  strips  of  forest,  when  we  suddenly  heard  the 
long,  shrill  cry  that  is  the  native  signal  of  danger.  This  was 
from  a  Bari  watchman,  who,  more  awake  than  those  by  whom 
we  must  have  passed  unobserved,  now  gave  the  alarm.  This  cry 
was  immediately  repeated  in  various  directions.  There  was  no 
time  to  be  lost.  Sherroom  bounded  forward  like  an  antelope  at 
a  pace  that  kept  our  horses  at  a  hand-gallop.  In  a  couple  of  min- 
utes we  saw  a  large  circular  stockade  in  a  clear  space,  but  within 
fifty  yards  of  the  forest  on  our  left.  We  galloped  up,  followed 
closely  by  the  "  Forty  Thieves,"  who  ran  like  hounds.  I  imme- 
diately surrounded  the  stockade,  from  which  the  natives  had 
commenced  to  shoot  their  arrows.  The  Egyptian  troops  were 
close  up,  and,  in  the  uncertain  light,  it  was  impossible  to  see  the 
arrows  in  their  flight;  thus  one  soldier  was  immediately  wound- 
ed ;  another  received  a  shot  through  his  trowsers.  An  arrow 
stuck  in  Mr.  Higginbotham's  saddle,  and  they  began  to  fly  about 
very  viciously.    The  "Forty  Thieves"  now  opened  fire,  while 


150 


ISMAIL'lA. 


the  Egyptians  were  drawn  up  in  a  line  about  fifty  yards  from  the 
stockade.  It  was  rather  awkward,  as  the  defense  was  a  circle: 
thus,  as  the  troops  fired  into  a  common  centre,  the  bullets  that 
passed  through  the  intervening  spaces  between  the  uprights  of 
hard  wood  came  pinging  about  our  ears.  The  sky  had  become 
gray,  and  there  was  now  sufficient  light  to  discover  the  door-way 
of  the  stockade.  I  ordered  the  bugles  to  sound  "cease  firing," 
and  prepared  to  force  the  entrance.  This  was  a  narrow  arch- 
way about  four  feet  six  inches  high,  constructed  of  large  pieces  of 
hard  wood  that  it  was  impossible  to  destroy.  The  door-way  was 
stopped  by  transverse  bars  of  abdnoos,  or  Bari  ebony,  and  pro- 
tected by  a  mass  of  hooked  thorn  that  had  been  dragged  into  the 
passage  and  jammed  beneath  the  cross-bars. 

I  ordered  Lieutenant-colonel  Abd-el-Kader  to  force  the  gate- 
way. This  he  immediately  commenced,  assisted  by  Lieutenant 
Baker  and  Mr.  Higginbotham,  together  with  a  party  of  the  "  Forty 
Thieves,"  while  others  of  the  same  corps  closed  up  to  the  stock- 
ade on  either  side  the  entrance,  and  kept  up  a  heavy  fire  to  pro- 
tect the  attack. 

In  the  mean  time  the  immense  drum  within  the  stockade  was 
thundering  out  the  summons  to  collect  the  whole  of  the  neighbor- 
hood for  war.  This  signal  was  answered  by  the  heavy  booming 
sound  of  innumerable  drums  throughout  the  district  far  and  near; 
and  as  it  had  now  become  light,  I  could  distinguish  the  natives 
collecting  from  all  parts,  and  evidently  surrounding  our  position. 
I  therefore  posted  my  men  as  skirmishers  around  the  circle  about 
eighty  yards  distant  from  the  stockade,  facing  outward,  while  the 
small  party  forced  the  gate-way. 

The  fire  of  the  Snider  rifles  and  the  steady  shooting  of  the 
"Forty  Thieves"  quickly  reduced  the  number  of  arrows,  and  the 
natives,  finding  that  it  was  getting  too  hot,  suddenly  made  a  dash 
through  a  secret  entrance  and  rushed  through  the  troops,  now  of 
necessity  widely  scattered,  and  they  gained  the  forest. 

At  the  same  time  the  gate-way  was  forced,  and  we  found  a  prize 
within  of  upward  of  six  hundred  cows.  The  stockade,  or  zareeba, 
was  immensely  strong,  formed  of  massive  logs  of  iron-wood  deep- 
ly imbedded  in  the  earth,  and  arranged  so  closely  together  that 
not  one  bullet  out  of  ten  would  have  found  its  way  through  the 
crevices  if  fired  from  a  distance.  The  proper  way  to  attack  the 
circular  strongholds  is  to  make  a  sudden  rush  close  up  to  the 
defense,  and  to  lay  the  rifle  between  the  openings;  the  stockade 
then  becomes  a  protection  to  the  attacking  party,  as  there  is  no 
flank  fire  to  enfilade  them. 


TAYIB  AGHA  MISSES  THE  PATH. 


151 


The  natives  were  now  gathering  on  all  sides,  but  we  were  in 
possession ;  and  although  our  party  consisted  of  only  seventy 
men,  we  had  an  impregnable  position,  which  I  could  hold  until 
joined  by  Tayib  Agha.  I  accordingly  took  a  few  of  the  "Forty 
Thieves"  to  a  distance  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  paces 
away  from  the  centre,  and  concealed  them  as  sharp-shooters, 
wherever  I  found  a  convenient  cover.  The  fire  of  the  Sni- 
ders  kept  the  enemy  at  a  respectful  distance,  and  I  took  a  few 
shots  myself  at  long  range,  to  teach  them  the  real  value  of  a 
Snider  rifle. 

There  were  no  signs  of  Tayib  Agha.  The  sun  was  risen,  and 
clouds  of  steam  began  to  rise  from  the  wet  ground  and  the  drip- 
ping trees.  I  ordered  some  grass  huts  to  be  fired,  as  the  volume 
of  smoke  might  attract  the  attention  of  Tayib  Agha's  detachment, 
which  had  evidently  gone  astray.  If  near,  they  must  have  heard 
the  sound  of  our  rifles. 

The  huts  were  soon  in  flames,  and  the  smoke  rose  high  in  air, 
which  would  be  a  signal  to  be  seen  from  a  great  distance. 

I  sent  two  buglers  to  the  top  of  a  tall  tree,  from  which  elevated 
post  they  blew  the  call  for  the  lieutenant-colonel  and  his  three 
companies  continually  for  about  half  an  hour. 

We  were  hungry;  therefore  a  fat  calf  was  killed,  and  cooking 
immediately  commenced.  I  had  a  little  box  of  salt  and  pepper, 
together  with  some  biscuits;  thus  we  were  in  luxury.  My  good 
Monsoor  was  a  fair  cook;  therefore  the  fat,  kidneys,  and  liv- 
er having  been  cut  into  pieces  about  two  inches  square,  and 
arranged  on  a  steel  ramrod,  were  well  salted  and  peppered,  and 
laid  on  the  red-hot  embers  when  the  flame  and  smoke  had  sub- 
sided. There  is  nothing  so  good  as  kabobs  thus  simply  pre- 
pared; the  ramrod  is  then  stuck  upright  in  the  ground,  and  you 
sit  down  and  cut  off  the  pieces  as  required.  Salt  should  always 
be  carried,  mixed  with  black  and  red  pepper  in  proper  propor- 
tions; it  saves  much  trouble. 

We  were  enjoying  our  breakfast;  the  cows  lately  captured 
gave  plenty  of  milk,  which  our  servants  had  boiled  in  the  Baris's 
earthen  pots,  and  we  were  discussing  the  possibility  of  Tayib 
Agha  having  lost  his  way,  when  we  heard  distant  shots  fired  on 
the  open  hills  at  the  foot  of  Belinian  mountain,  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  to  our  right.  We  shortly  distinguished  smoke,  which  was 
a  reply  to  our  signal.  It  was  evident  that  Tayib  Agha  had 
strayed  far  to  the  south,  but  it  was  satisfactory  to  know  that  he 
had  seen  our  position. 

We  could  now  distinguish  the  troops  with  the  telescope,  and 


152 


ISMAILlA. 


even  make  out  the  gun  that  was  dragged  by  about  twenty  men. 
They  were  on  their  direct  way  to  join  us. 

My  men  had  captured  three  young  girls,  whom  they  brought 
to  me.  The  oldest  was  about  fifteen,  and  was  pretty  and  intelli- 
gent. She  had  formerly  been  a  slave  of  the  traders,  and  was 
marked,  according  to  their  custom,  by  several  scars  on  either 
cheek.  This  girl  spoke  good  Arabic,  and  did  not  appear  to 
show  the  slightest  alarm. 

I  asked  her  why  the  Belinian  Baris  had  attacked  us,  and  taken 
cattle  from  the  station  at  Gondokoro,  without  the  slightest  prov- 
ocation? She  replied  that  they  had  been  invited  by  the  sheik 
Allorron  to  become  allies;  therefore  they  had  attacked  us  and 
driven  off  the  cows,  some  of  which  were  now  among  the  cattle 
we  had  that  morning  captured. 

I  told  her  that  we  never  took  slaves;  therefore  she  and  her 
companions  might  return  to  the  Baris,  and  inform  them  that  I 
had  come  upon  the  tracks  of  the  cattle  which  they  had  driven  off 
from  Gondokoro.  If  they  desired  peace,  I  should  be  happy  to 
treat  with  them ;  but  if  they  should  return  to  attack  us  at  head- 
quarters, I  should  not  spare  them,  but  I  would  utterly  root  them 
out  of  the  neighborhood.  The  girls  laughed  and  started  off,  not 
in  the  least  disturbed  by  the  scene  around  them. 

At  length  Tayib  Agha's  detachment  arrived.  They  were  very 
angry  with  Morgian,  the  guide,  who,  they  declared,  had  purpose- 
ly misled  them.  This  was  not  the  fact;  the  man  had  lost  his 
way  in  the  dark,  in  the  endeavor  to  seek  a  better  path  for  the 
gun.  However,  we  were  now  united,  and  I  ordered  the  men  to 
breakfast. 

The  Sniders  had  cleared  the  natives  from  the  vicinity ;  and 
now  that  we  had  been  re-enforced  by  Tayib  Agha's  party,  there 
was  no  hope  for  the  Baris.  They  accordingly  kept  aloof,  and 
merely  watched  our  movements  from  the  tops  of  high  trees,  where 
they  perched  like  cormorants,  and  saw  the  enjoyment  of  the  troops 
engaged  in  roasting  beef  that  had  lately  been  their  own. 

I  fully  expected  a  difficulty  with  the  natives  when  we  should 
attempt  to  drive  the  herd  of  strange  cattle  through  the  difficult 
,path  to  Gondokoro.  I  therefore  determined  to  make  a  reconnais- 
sance of  the  neighborhood  when  the  men  should  have  finished 
their  breakfast,  in  order  to  drive  the  Baris  from  the  vicinity,  and 
thus  obtain  a  fair  start  for  the  cattle. 

Leaving  one  company  to  protect  the  stockade  and  captured 
cattle,  I  took  the  remaining  three  companies  and  the  gun,  and 
extending  the  line  in  open  order,  with  skirmishers  thrown  out 


THE  RETREAT. 


153 


in  front  and  the  gun  in  the  centre,  we  advanced  through  the 
country. 

A  large  river-bed,  now  almost  dry,  with  very  abrupt  banks, 
lay  on  our  left.  The  wood  became  thinner,  and  we  suddenly 
emerged  upon  a  broad,  open  valley  or  plain,  which  was  bounded 
on  our  right  by  the  high  mountain  of  Belinian,  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  distant. 

This  plain  was  covered  with  villages,  and  the  entire  country 
was  green  with  cultivation,  the  dhurra  being  then  about  two  feet 
high.  The  gun-carriage  ran  easily  over  the  flat  ground,  and  we 
advanced  rapidly  forward,  the  Baris  clearing  out  of  their  villages 
and  gathering  on  our  flanks  as  we  approached.  A  shot  from  the 
gun  sent  an  eight-pound  shell,  which  exploded  in  the  air  above 
a  group  about  seven  hundred  yards  distant.  This  was  sufficient 
notice  to  quit.  The  enemy  dared  not  stand  upon  open  ground; 
thus  after  we  had  driven  them  forward  for  about  two  miles,  we 
faced  about  and  returned  to  the  stockade. 

We  now  opened  the  gate-way  and  drove  out  the  hungry  cat- 
tle. They  looked  very  wild,  and  I  rather  feared  a  stampede ;  it 
was  necessary  to  leave  them  in  the  hands  of  our  two  allies,  Sher- 
room,  and  Morgian,  as  the  cattle  neither  understood  Arabic,  nor 
the  manners  or  customs  of  the  Egyptians.  After  a  little  whis- 
tling and  coaxing  in  the  Bari  language,  the  herd  started,  well 
protected  by  troops  on  both  flanks,  and  an  advance-guard  at  one 
hundred  and  fifty  paces'  distance.  The  rear  was  brought  up  by 
the  gun  and  the  "Forty  Thieves." 

The  natives  appeared  to  be  under  the  impression  that  wre  were 
going  to  pass  the  night  at  the  zareeba ;  thus  they  had  no  knowl- 
edge of  our  start,  and  we  arrived  at  Gondokoro  and  entered  the 
station  about  an  hour  after  sunset,  having  been  out  nineteen 
hours. 

I  now  learned  that  the  Baris  of  Gondokoro  had  imagined  that 
the  greater  portion  of  the  troops  had  gone  to  Belinian  for  an 
excursion  of  some  days ;  they  had  accordingly  beaten  their  big 
drums  and  gathered  together  from  all  quarters  to  attack  the 
camp;  but  discretion  overcame  their  valor  when  they  found  a 
large  force  still  at  head-quarters. 

On  June  9th  eight  vessels  of  Agad's  hove  in  sight,  and  with  a 
fair  breeze  they  arrived  opposite  the  island  at  2.30  p.:m. 

Abou  Saood  was  in  one  of  these  vessels. 

June  10. — Abou  Saood  presented  himself  to  me  this  morning. 
His  vessels,  being  without  cargoes,  benefited  much  by  our  work 
in  the  sudd.    He  found  all  our  cuttings  open ;  therefore  he  had 


154 


ISMAILlA. 


no  difficulty  until  he  arrived  at  the  dam,  through  which  his  peo- 
ple cut  a  passage.  The  great  rush  of  water  scoured  a  deep  chan- 
nel, and  his  squadron  of  light  vessels  came  on  without  difficul- 
ty. I  ordered  Abou  Saood's  people  to  camp  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  river,  as  I  did  not  wish  them  to  be  in  constant  communi- 
cation with  my  troops,  who  would  quickly  become  contaminated 
by  their  morals. 

The  news  brought  by  Abou  Saood  from  Khartoum  informed 
me  of  the  death  of  Agad ;  therefore  the  representation  of  the 
firm  of  Agad  &  Co.  had  now  devolved  upon  Abou  Saood,  his 
son-in-law. 

I  now  heard  that  the  people  of  Abou  Saood,  who  numbered 
about  five  hundred  men,  had  brought  with  them  a  large  herd  of 
cattle  which  they  had  driven  along  the  west  bank  of  the  river ; 
thus,  in  direct  defiance  of  the  government  authority,  he  had  made 
a  razzia  upon  some  tribe  during  his  voyage,  and  he  had  not  scru- 
pled to  present  himself  to  me  with  the  herd  of  stolen  cattle  star- 
ing me  in  the  face  on  the  other  side  of  the  water. 

On  my  way  up  from  the  Bahr  Giraffe  I  had  left  a  Turkish 
major,  Achmet  Rafik  Effendi,  with  a  corporal  and  five  men,  in 
the  Shir  tribe,  about  forty  miles  from  Gondokoro,  with  a  friend- 
ly sheik  named  Niamboor.  This  sheik  was  the  tallest  and  most 
powerful  man  that  I  ever  saw  in  Africa,  and  he  was  a  trust- 
worthy and  good  fellow.  He  had  promised  to  cultivate  a  farm 
for  the  government;  therefore  I  had  given  him  ten  bushels  of 
dhurra  for  seed,  and  I  had  left  with  him,  at  his  request,  the  of- 
ficer and  soldiers,  to  represent  the  government  and  to  superin- 
tend the  cultivation. 

I  now  discovered  that  the  scoundrel,  Abou  Saood,  had  at- 
tacked the  natives  without  any  provocation,  and  had  carried  off 
the  cattle  from  the  sheik  adjoining  Niamboor's  district. 

The  natives  would  naturally  imagine  that  my  officer  and  six 
men  were  spies,  wrho  had  directed  Abou  Saood  to  their  cattle, 
and  there  wrould  be  a  great  chance  of  a  conflict  between  Niam- 
boor,  their  protector,  and  his  neighbors  who  had  been  robbed. 

I  observed  with  the  telescope  that  the  people  of  Abou  Saood, 
who  arrived  with  the  herd  of  cattle,  wrere  accompanied  by  a 
great  number  of  natives ;  and  the  Baris  of  Gondokoro,  who  were 
at  open  war  with  us,  flocked  to  wrelcome  the  new-comers  as  old 
friends  who  had  been  long  absent.  The  brigands  had.  as  usual, 
arrived  wTith  a  large  herd  of  cattle,  which  in  Africa  is  always  the 
best  introduction  ;  thus  the  robber  tribe  of  Allorron  was  delight- 
ed at  the  return  of  those  who  had  always  led  them  to  plunder. 


IXSOLEXCE  OF  THE  SLAVE-TRADERS. 


155 


and  had  enriched  them  with  the  spoil  of  cows  and  slaves.  I  find 
the  following  entry  in  my  journal,  dated 

"June  12,  1871. — The  natives  who  are  at  war  with  us  have 
been  gathering  in  large  numbers  to  the  spot  on  the  west  bank 
occupied  by  Abou  Saood's  people.  The  latter  are  actually 
holding  friendly  intercourse  with  them,  and  the  Baris  are  quite 
at  home  assisting  these  rascals  in  erecting  their  camp,  although 
they  positively  refused  to  assist  the  government  upon  our  first 
arrival.  This  is  the  treasonable  conduct  of  Abou  Saood,  who 
knows  perfectly  well  that  we  are  at  open  war  with  the  Baris. 

"His  large  herd  of  about  one  thousand  four  hundred  fat  cattle 
were  driven  along  in  triumph,  followed  by  the  admiring  popula- 
tion of  thieving  niggers,  who  hail  his  arrival  as  the  harbinger  of 
fat  times,  Gondokoro  being  the  general  depot  for  all  stolen  cattle, 
slaves,  etc.,  and  the  starting-point  for  every  piratical  expedition. 

"In  the  afternoon  I  started  in  a  dingy,  accompanied  by  Col- 
onel Abd-el-Kader,  Lieutenant  Baker,  Monsoor,  and  four  soldiers, 
to  visit  the  traders'  camp  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 

"Seeing  me  approach,  a  great  number  of  Baris  left  the  traders, 
and,  taking  to  a  precipitate  flight,  they  disappeared  in  the  high 
reeds.  The  traders'  people  received  me  without  the  slightest 
mark  of  respect,  and  one  insolent  fellow  swaggered  up  and  stared 
me  in  the  face,  with  a  pipe  in  his  mouth,  as  a  studied  insult. 

"I  went  to  the  cattle-pens,  and  immediately  placed  my  four 
soldiers  as  sentries  over  the  herd,  which  I  confiscated. 

"It  would  be  a  disgrace  to  tolerate  these  thieves,  as  Gondo- 
koro is  rendered  a  perfect  hell,  and  the  natives  will  naturally  ab- 
hor any  lawful  government  so  long  as  they  can  consort  and  share 
spoils  with  such  brigands  as  these  so-called  traders  of  Khartoum." 

Upon  my  return  home  I  wrote  an  official  letter  to  Abou 
Saood,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy: 

"  To  Abou  /Saood,  Vakeel  of  the  Firm  of  Agad  t£*  Co. 

"Ismailia,  or  Gondokoro,  June  12,  1871. 

"Sir, — You  arrived  here  on  the  10th  inst.,  with  a  large  num- 
ber of  cattle  stolen  by  you  and  }7our  people. 

"You,  knowing  that  the  Baris  were  at  war  with  the  govern- 
ment, have  nevertheless  been  in  daily  and  friendly  communica- 
tion with  them. 

"  The  Baris  of  this  country  are  rendered  hostile  to  all  honest 
government  by  the  conduct  of  your  people,  who,  by  stealing 
slaves  and  cattle  from  the  interior,  and  delivering  them  here, 


156 


ISMAILlA. 


have  utterly  destroyed  all  hope  of  improvement  in  a  people  nat- 
urally savage,  but  now  rendered  by  your  aets  thieves  of  the 
worst  description. 

"It  is  impossible  that  I  can  permit  the  continuance  of  such 
acts. 

"I  therefore  give  you  due  notice  that,  at  the  expiration  of 
your  contract,  you  will  withdraw  all  your  people  from  the  dis- 
trict under  my  command.  At  the  same  time  I  declare  the  for- 
feiture to  the  government  of  the  cattle  you  have  forcibly  cap- 
tured under  the  eyes  of  my  authority. 

"Samuel  W.  Baker." 

The  only  error  that  I  can  acknowledge  throughout  the  expe- 
dition was  my  present  leniency.  I  should  at  once  have  placed 
Aboil  Saood  in  irons,  and  have  sent  him  to  Khartoum,  instead  of 
leaving  him  at  large  to  carry  on  his  intrigues  against  the  govern- 
ment. 

I  intended  on  the  first  opportunity  to  send  notice  to  the  Shir 
tribe  of  the  safety  of  their  cattle,  but  an  incident  shortly  occurred 
that  altered  my  determination. 

At  the  same  time  that  Abou  Saood  was  in  disgrace,  he  was  a 
bosom  friend  of  the  colonel,  Eaouf  Bey,  who  commanded  my 
troops.  They  dined  together  constantly  in  the  house  of  the  lat- 
ter officer,  and  their  friendship  had  originally  commenced  in 
Khartoum  during  the  long  interval  that  the  regiments  were 
awaiting  my  arrival  from  Cairo.  It  was  during  that  interval 
that  the  officers  of  the  expedition  had  fraternized  with  the  White 
Nile  traders  who  resided  at  Khartoum. 

The  result  of  such  intimacy  might  be  imagined. 

The  object  of  the  expedition  had  always  been  distasteful  to 
both  officers  and  men.  The  traders  had  already  seen,  by  the  ex- 
amples made  at  Tewfikeeyah,  that  I  should  actually  destroy  their 
cherished  slave-trade.  It  was  therefore  natural  that  Abou  Saood 
should  exert  himself  to  ruin  the  expedition.  Having  a  friend  in 
Raouf  Bey,  he  was  in  a  position  to  create  division  of  opinion.  He 
constantly  associated  with  this  officer,  in  order  that  it  should  be 
generally  known  that  he  was  supported  by  an  influential  person 
in  the  government  service.  The  scandal  of  the  camp  quickly 
assumed  that  the  opinions  concerning  the  slave-traders  between 
myself  and  Raouf  Bey  were  at  variance. 

The  officers  of  the  expedition  had,  contrary  to  my  express  or- 
ders, purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  slaves  from  the  sta- 
tions of  the  traders  during  the  White  Nile  voyage!    I  had  only 


COXSTAXT  ATTACKS  BY  THE  BAR  IS. 


157 


learned  this  on  arrival  at  Gondokoro.  Thus,  when  corn  was  so 
scarce  that  the  rations  were  reduced,  while  those  of  meat  were 
increased,  we  had  an  addition  of  one  hundred  and  twenty -six 
mouths ! 

The  policy  of  the  slave-traders  was  identical  with  the  feelings 
of  the  officers  and  men,  all  of  whom  wished  to  abandon  the  expe- 
dition and  return  to  Khartoum.  Abou  Saood  worked  mole-like 
in  his  intrigues.  He  fraternized  secretly  with  Allorron  and  his 
Baris.  Many  of  his  men  purchased  tobacco  from  the  natives  in 
exchange  for  ammunition.  The  natives  from  Belinian  were  in 
daily  communication  with  Abou  Saood's  camp,  and  their  spies 
obtained  information  of  our  proceedings,  and  carried  the  news 
throughout  the  country  that  "  they  would  be  supported  by  Abou 
Saood  against  my  authority." 

I  learned  every  thing  that  occurred  through  trustworthy 
agents.  It  quickly  became  known  that  Kaouf  Bey  was  desirous 
to  terminate  the  expedition.  The  contagion  spread  rapidly,  and 
the  men  worked  languidly,  and  without  the  slightest  interest: 
they  had  made  up  their  minds  that  the  expedition  was  a  failure, 
and  that  a  scarcity  of  corn  would  be  their  excuse  for  a  return  to 
Khartoum.  Abou  Saood  fanned  the  flame  among  the  officers, 
and  discontent  became  general. 

In  the  mean  time  the  Baris  were  very  active  in  annoying  the 
camp  at  night.  Although  these  natives  could  not  stand  against 
the  troops  in  the  open,  they  harassed  them  by  necessitating  a 
perpetual  vigilance  both  by  night  and  day.  It  was  necessary  to 
have  strong  patrols  in  two  parties  at  all  hours;  and  I  regret  to 
say  the  Egyptian  officers  and  men  did  not  appear  to  enjoy  a 
state  of  war  where  activity  and  good  discipline  were  absolute- 
ly necessary.  The  Soudani  officers  and  men,  although  ignorant, 
were  far  superior  to  the  Egyptians  in  activity  and  courage. 

Unfortunately  the  camp  was  sickly.  The  men  now  suffered 
from  the  fatigue  of  the  long  voyage  through  slush  and  marsh. 
Many  had  fever  and  dysentery.  Ulcerated  legs  were  prevalent; 
and  this  disease  appeared  to  be  contagious.  Many  men  died 
from  these  malignant  ulcers,  which  in  some  cases  entirely  de- 
stroyed the  foot.  The  women  did  not  suffer  from  this  complaint. 
It  originated  from  a  poisonous  grass  that  festered  the  wound  it 
gave,  and  rapidly  produced  an  incurable  sore.  As  the  women 
had  not  been  exposed  to  the  work  in  the  marshes,  they  had 
escaped  the  scourge  inflicted  by  the  sharp  edges  of  the  grass. 

There  was  no  rest  for  the  people ;  they  had  to  build  their 
camp  and  fight  the  Baris  at  the  same  time.    A  scarcity  of  corn 


158 


ISMAILlA. 


stared  them  in  the  face.  The  officers  and  men  were  well  aware 
that  we  could  not  hope  for  regular  supplies  of  corn  and  re-en- 
forcements of  troops  from  Khartoum  in  the  dreadful  state  of  the 
river:  thus  they  felt  their  position  keenly,  as  sick,  dispirited,  in 
the  midst  of  enemies,  with  approaching  famine  of  corn,  and  no 
communication  with  the  Soudan.  All  these  difficulties  were  to 
be  endured  for  the  sake  of  an  object  which  they  detested — "the 
suppression  of  the  slave-trade."' 


SAILOR  SEIZED  BY  A  CROCODILE. 


159 


CHAPTER  IX. 

NEW  EXE  MIES. 

Our  enemies  were  not  confined  to  the  land  only ;  the  croco- 
diles in  the  neighborhood  of  Gondokoro  were  exceedingly  fero- 
cious. As  the  natives  were  so  much  in  the  habit  of  swimming 
to  and  fro  with  their  cattle,  these  wily  creatures  had  been  always 
accustomed  to  claim  a  toll  in  the  shape  of  a  cow,  calf,  or  nigger. 
Two  of  Abou  Saood's  sailors  were  carried  off  on  two  consecutive 
days.  One  of  my  soldiers,  while  engaged  with  many  others  in 
the  water,  only  hip  deep,  wras  seized  by  a  crocodile.  The  man, 
being  held  by  the  leg  below  the  knee,  made  a  good  fight,  and 
thrust  his  fingers  into  the  creature's  eyes;  his  comrades  at  the 
same  time  assisted,  and  rescued  him  from  absolute  destruction : 
but  the  leg-bone  was  so  mashed  and  splintered  in  many  places 
that  he  was  obliged  to  submit  to  amputation. 

One  of  my  sailors  had  a  narrow  escape.  He  and  many  others 
were  engaged  in  collecting  the  leaves  of  a  species  of  water-con- 
volvulus that  make  an  excellent  spinach  ;  this  plant  is  rooted  on 
the  muddy  bank,  but  it  runs  upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  upon 
which  its  pink  blossoms  are  very  ornamental. 

The  sailor  was  stooping  from  the  banjc  to  gather  the  floating- 
leaves,  when  he  was  suddenly  seized  by  the  arm  at  the  elbow- 
joint  ;  his  friends  immediately  caught  him  round  the  waist,  and 
their  united  efforts  prevented  him  from  being  dragged  into  the 
water.  The  crocodile,  having  tasted  blood,  would  not  quit  its 
hold,  but  tugged  and  wrenched  the  arm  completely  off  at  the  el- 
bow-joint, and  went  off  with  its  prize.  The  unfortunate  man,  in 
excruciating  agony,  was  brought  to  the  camp,  where  it  was  nec- 
essary to  amputate  another  piece  slightly  above  the  lacerated 
joint. 

I  made  a  point  of  carrying  a  rifle  at  all  times,  simply  to  destroy 
these  terrible  reptiles.  There  never  was  a  better  rifle  than  "  the 
Dutchman,"  made  by  Holland,  of  Bond  Street.  This  little  weap- 
on was  a  double-barreled  breech-loader,  and  carried  the  Boxer 
bullet,  of  government  calibre,  with  a  charge  of  three  drachms  of 
powder.  The  accurac}'  of  both  barrels  was  extraordinary.  It 
was  only  sighted  up  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  ;  but  by  tak- 


100 


ISMAILlA. 


ing  the  bead  very  full,  it  carried  with  great  precision  up  to  three 
hundred.  I  could  generally  make  certain  of  crocodiles  if  bask- 
ing on  a  sand-bank  within  a  hundred  yards,  as  I  could  put  the 
bullet  exactly  in  the  right  place — either  behind  the  eye,  or  right 
through  the  centre  of  the  shoulder.  This  handy  rifle  weighed 
nine  and  three-quarter  pounds,  and  throughout  the  expedition  it 
was  almost  as  much  one  of  my  component  parts  as  a  bone  of  my 
body.  I  had  a  large  supply  of  ammunition  ;  thus  I  never  lost 
an  opportunity  of  shooting  at  a  crocodile's  head  if  I  saw  one 
above  the  surface.  On  many  occasions  they  never  moved  from 
the  shot  when  basking  on  sand -banks,  but  were  simply  extin- 
guished. 

One  of  our  women  went  to  the  river  to  wash,  but  never  re- 
turned. This  was  close  to  our  diahbeeah  ;  and  the  water  being 
shallow,  there  is  no  doubt  that  she  was  seized  by  a  crocodile. 

I  was  one  day  returning  from  head-quarters  to  my  station,  a 
distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half  along  the  river's  bank,  when  I  no- 
ticed the  large  head  of  a  crocodile  about  thirty  yards  from  the 
shore.  I  knew  every  inch  of  the  river,  and  I  was  satisfied  that 
the  water  was  shallow.  A  solitary  piece  of  waving  rush  that 
grew  upon  the  bank  exactly  opposite  the  crocodile  would  mark 
the  position  ;  thus,  stooping  down,  I  quietly  retreated  inland 
from  the  bank,  and  then  running  forward,  I  crept  gently  toward 
the  rush.  Stooping  as  low  as  possible,  I  advanced  till  very  near 
the  bank  (upon  which  grew  tufts  of  grass),  until,  by  slowly  rais- 
ing my  head,  I  could  observe  the  head  of  the  crocodile  in  the 
same  position,  not  more,  than  twenty-six  or  twenty-eight  yards 
from  me.  At  that  distance,  the  Dutchman  could  hit  a  half- 
crown  ;  I  therefore  made  sure  of  bagging.  The  bank  was  about 
four  feet  above  the  water;  thus  the  angle  was  favorable,  and  I 
aimed  just  behind  the  eye.  Almost  as  I  touched  the  trigger,  the 
crocodile  gave  a  convulsive  start,  and  turning  slowly  on  its  back, 
it  stretched  its  four  legs  above  the  surface,  straining  every  mus- 
cle ;  it  then  remained  motionless  in  this  position  in  water  about 
two  feet  deep. 

My  horse  was  always  furnished  with  a  long  halter  or  tethering- 
rope:  thus  I  ordered  the  syce  and  another  man  to  jump  into  the 
river  and  secure  the  crocodile  by  a  rope  fastened  round  the  body 
behind  the  fore-legs.  This  was  quickly  accomplished,  and  the 
men  remained  knee-deep,  hauling  upon  the  rope  to  prevent  the 
stream  from  carrying  away  the  body.  In  the  mean  time  Mon- 
soor  had  mounted  my  horse  and  galloped  off  for  assistance  to  the 
camp  of  the  "  Fort}^  Thieves." 


UNDENIABLE  WITNESSES. 


161 


Crocodiles  are  very  tenacious  of  life ;  and  although  they  may 
be  shot  through  the  brain,  and  be  actually  dead  for  all  practical 
purposes,  they  will  remain  motionless  at  first ;  but  they  will  be- 
gin instinctively  to  move  the  limbs  and  tail  a  few  minutes  after 
receiving  the  shot.  If  lying  upon  a  sand-bank,  or  in  deep  water, 
they  would  generally  disappear  unless  secured  by  a  rope,  as  the 
spasmodic  movements  of  the  limbs  and  tail  would  act  upon  the 
water,  and  the  body  would  be  carried  away. 

The  crocodile,  that  had  appeared  stone  dead,  now  began  to 
move  its  tail,  and  my  two  men  who  were  holding  on  to  the  rope 
cried  out  that  it  was  still  alive.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  assured 
the  frightened  fellows  that  it  was  dead.  I  was  on  the  bank,  and 
they  were  in  the  water  within  a  few  feet  of  the  crocodile,  which 
made  some  difference  in  our  ideas  of  its  vivacity.  Presently  the 
creature  really  began  to  struggle,  and  the  united  efforts  of  the 
men  could  hardly  restrain  it  from  getting  into  deeper  water. 
The  monster  now  began  to  yawn,  which  so  terrified  the  men  that 
they  would  have  dropped  the  rope  and  fled,  had  they  not  been 
afraid  of  the  consequences,  as  I  was  addressing  them  rather  forci- 
bly from  the  bank.  I  put  another  shot  through  the  shoulder  of 
the  struggling  monster,  which  appeared  to  act  as  a  narcotic  until 
the  arrival  of  the  soldiers  with  ropes.  No  sooner  was  the  croco- 
dile well  secured  than  it  began  to  struggle  violently  ;  but  a  great 
number  of  men  hauled  upon  the  rope,  and  when  it  was  safely 
landed,  I  gave  it  a  blow  with  a  sharp  axe  on  the  back  of  the 
neck,  which  killed  it  by  dividing  the  spine. 

It  was  now  dragged  along  the  turf  until  we  reached  the  camp, 
where  it  was  carefully  measured  with  a  tape,  and  showed  an  ex- 
act length  of  twelve  feet  three  inches  from  snout  to  end  of  tail. 

The  stomach  contained  about  five  pounds'  weight  of  pebbles, 
as  though  it  had  fed  upon  flesh  resting  upon  a  gravel-bank,  and 
had  swallowed  the  pebbles  that  had  adhered.  Mixed  with  the 
pebbles  was  a  greenish,  slimy  matter  that  appeared  woolly.  In 
the  midst  of  this  were  three  undeniable  witnesses  that  convicted 
the  crocodile  of  willful  murder.  A  necklace  and  two  armlets, 
such  as  are  worn  by  the  negro  girls,  were  taken  from  the  stom- 
ach !  The  girl  had  been  digested.  This  was  an  old  malefactor 
that  was  a  good  riddance. 

I  had  frequently  seen  crocodiles  upward  of  eighteen  feet  in 
length,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  they  sometimes  exceed 
twenty ;  but  a  very  small  creature  of  this  species  may  carry 
away  a  man  while  swimming.  The  crocodile  does  not  attempt 
to  swallow  an  animal  at  once  ;  but  having  carried  it  to  a  favorite 


1&2 


1SMAILIA. 


feeding-place,  generally  in  some  deep  hole,  it  tears  it  limb  from 
limb  with  teeth  and  claws,  and  devours  it  at  leisure. 

The  camp  of  the  "Forty  Thieves"  had  been  finished  some 
time  since;  the  gardens  were  flourishing,  and  I  erected  a  "sha- 
doof," or  Egyptian  double  bucket  and  lever,  for  irrigation.  Two 
men  could  lift  and  throw  out  three  thousand  six  hundred  gallons 
per  hour.  I  made  the  calculation  as  nearly  as  possible :  the  iron 
buckets  contained  slightty  more  than  four  gallons  each;  thus, 
two  men  with  the  double  shadoof  lifted  eight  gallons  every  eight 
seconds  (or  one  lift  in  eight  seconds):  a  gallon  per  second  gave 
three  thousand  six  hundred  per  hour. 

I  never  allowed  the  "  Forty  Thieves  "  to  work  at  the  general 
head-quarters,  but  kept  them  as  my  personal  escort.  When  at 
Tewfikeeyah,  I  had  been  particular  in  their  drill,  and  I  had  en- 
deavored to  teach  them  to  shoot  accurately.  The  Egyptians  be- 
came better  shots  than  the  Soudanis,  but  I  much  preferred  the 
latter;  by  degrees  I  drafted  out  all  the  Egyptians  excepting  four, 
and  filled  their  places  with  well -selected  blacks,  mostly  taken 
from  the  grenadier  company  of  the  regiment. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  expedition  this  small  body  of 
men  had  well  earned  the  title  of  the  "Forty  Thieves"  by  which 
they  were  always  known  among  the  English  party,  although 
publicly  in  the  camp  they  were  only  designated  as  "The  Forty." 

I  had  taken  great  personal  care  of  this  little  corps,  and  the  re- 
sult was  most  satisfactory.  The  thieves  had  been  got  rid  of.  I 
never  forgave  a  fault  until  after  punishment  had  been  received : 
I  never  allowed  the  doctor  to  attend  them  when  ill,  but  invari- 
ably attended  to  them  myself.  I  had  endeavored  to  instill  a  feel- 
ing of  pride  among  them,  and  encouraged  them  with  an  idea  of 
their  superiority  to  the  other  regiments.  I  actually  succeeded  in 
establishing  a  code  of  honor  throughout  the  corps,  until  it  was 
considered  a  disgrace  to  "  The  Forty  "  that  a  theft  should  be  com- 
mitted. "Is  he  not  one  of  'The  Forty?  "  was  the  usual  exclama- 
tion if  any  doubt  was  thrown  on  the  character  of  a  soldier.  The 
fact  of  his  belonging  to  "  The  Forty  "  was  a  sufficient  certificate. 

The  regimental  arrangements  at  head-quarters  had  been  sadly 
neglected,  as  the  men  were  necessarily  so  much  engaged  in  other 
work  that  they  had  no  time  for  drill  except  on  Fridays.  The 
"Forty  Thieves"  were 'well  officered,  having  the  advantage  of  a 
lieutenant-colonel  and  a  captain,  together  with  two  most  active 
and  courageous  lieutenants,  who  had  lately  received  their  pro- 
motion for  good  conduct:  these  were  my  faithful  Monsoor  Agha, 
and  Ferritch  Agha.    The  young  soldier  who  had  been  condem- 


RIFLE  PRACTICE. 


163 


ned  to  be  shot  for  desertion  the  previous  year  bad  shown  such 
devotion  and  activity  that  he  was  promised  the  next  vacancy  in 
the  rank  of  corporal.  The  non-commissioned  officers  were  sol- 
diers who  had  seen  much  service,  and  the  corps  was  in  a  highly 
efficient  state,  with  the  exception  of  the  rifle  practice. 

While  at  Tewfikeeyah,  having  paid  much  attention  to  this  all- 
important  point,  I  had  instructed  the  officers  and  men  personally, 
and  I  had  established  prize-shooting  to  give  an  additional  interest 
to  the  work.  Both  officers  and  men  now  took  an  immense  pleas- 
ure in  rifle  practice,  but  it  appeared  almost  impossible  to  make 
them  good  shots.  Out  of  forty-eight  officers  and  men,  I  had  only 
fifteen  who  could  be  called  real  hitters;  the  others  were  only 
shooters. 

The  great  difficulty  was  to  instruct  them  in  distances.  I  fre- 
quently took  them  away  from  camp,  and  made  them  guess  the 
distance  in  paces  from  some  particular  object,  such  as  a  tree,  or 
white-ant  hill.  Very  few  of  the  men  had  the  slightest  idea  of 
this  important  subject;  but  at  the  commencement,  even  the  offi- 
cers were  perfectly  ignorant.  At  length,  by  constant  practice  at 
the  target,  varying  the  range  from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred 
yards,  about  a  third  of  the  corps  became  fair  shots,  and  these  few 
were  tolerably  good  judges  of  distance  up  to  four  hundred  yards. 
The  colonel,  Abd-el-Kader,  became  an  excellent  shot,  as  he  was 
an  officer  who  took  great  interest  in  his  profession.  The  remain- 
der of  the  corps  shot  as  well  as  they  could,  and  took  great  pains ; 
but  although  they  were  considered  crack  marksmen  by  the  line 
regiments,  their  reputation  would  have  suffered  if  their  deficien- 
cies had  been  exposed.  At  any  rate,  they  were  very  dangerous 
with  such  a  weapon  as  the  Snider,  when  firing  into  masses  of  the 
enemy. 

I  distinguished  "The  Forty"  from  the  line  regiment  by  a 
scarlet  uniform ;  this  was  a  simple  red  flannel  shirt,  worn  outside 
their  Zouave  trowsers,  and  secured  by  a  belt,  with  ammunition- 
pouches,  round  the  waist.  This  uniform,  with  linen  gaiters,  and 
with  a  head-dress  of  the  scarlet  fez,  bound  by  a  turban  of  cobalt- 
blue,  looked  remarkably  well. 

In  active  service,  the  officers  carried  Sniders;  thus,  the  corps 
complete  consisted  of  forty -eight  Sniders;  but,  together  with 
Lieutenant  Baker  and  myself,  it  comprised  fifty  rifles. 

The  high  state  of  discipline  and  the  fine  morale  of  this  little 
force  was  a  good  example  of  what  may  be  effected,  even  with  a 
material  of  so  low  a  reputation  as  the  negro.  My  men  were  na- 
tives of  various  tribes  scattered  over  an  immense  extent  of  Cen- 


164 


ISHAILlA. 


tral  Africa.  Each  had  a  certain  love  of  the  country  from  which 
he  had  been  originally  stolen  by  the  slave-traders  when  a  boy, 
before  he  found  his  way  into  government  service.  I  always  en- 
deavored to  keep  up  this  feeling,  and  to  create  emulation  among 
the  men  of  different  tribes ;  thus  a  native  of  Pongo  would  assume 
a  superiority  over  a  Dinka,  although  the  Dinka  considered  him- 
self of  a  higher  class  than  a  Pongo.  A  INToba  regarded  himself 
as  superior  to  all  others.  But  by  degrees  I  established  a  princi- 
ple that  was  generally  accepted  by  them  all — that  an  old  soldier 
with  a  good  reputation  should  take  precedence  of  all  others,  with- 
out reference  to  caste  or  tribe ;  thus  the  aim  of  all  young  privates 
would  be  to  become  old  soldiers,  and  to  rise  in  rank  according  to 
their  merits.  There  were  several  excellent  examples  of  good  sol- 
diers in  "  The  Forty,"  among  whom  stood  first  Mohammed-el- 
Feel,  sergeant  of  the  body-guard.  The  latter  comprised  ten  men, 
selected  from  "  The  Forty  "  as  creine  de  la  crime;  these  men  were 
exempted  from  all  labor,  and  they  formed  the  guard  of  two  sen- 
tries by  night,  and  one  by  day. 

The  discipline  of  this  picked  corps — "  Abd-el-Kader  and  the 
Forty  Thieves" — was  the  commencement  of  a  great  moral  re- 
form that  resulted  in  an  improved  tone  throughout  the  force, 
which  ultimately  did  the  great  work  of  the  expedition. 

The  efficiency  of  "  The  Forty  "  was  an  established  fact  of  what 
could  be  accomplished  where  officers  and  men  were  governed  by 
that  peculiar  confidence  that  bound  them  together  as  one  man. 
Throughout  the  expedition,  after  this  confidence  had  been  once 
established,  I  never  for  an  instant  doubted  the  fidelity  of  my 
men ;  they  would  have  followed  me  through  fire  or  water  with- 
out the  slightest  hesitation.  In  action  "  The  Forty "  were  al- 
ways in  advance,  and  they  were  watched  with  eagerness  and  even 
pride  by  the  other  regiments:  when  thrown  out  as  skirmishers, 
they  climbed  rocks,  pushed  through  jungles,  and  cleared  the  ene- 
my from  the  country  with  irresistible  activity.  Promotion  from 
the  line  to  "  The  Forty  "  was  considered  as  an  honor;  and  so  per- 
fect was  the  esprit  de  corjis,  that  in  the  event  of  a  vacancy  being 
caused  by  sickness  or  other  cause,  the  men  reported  to  me  the 
character  of  the  new-comer  before  he  was  admitted,  and  respect- 
fully declined  to  receive  him  if  he  bore  a  doubtful  reputation; 
virtually,  he  was  "blackballed." 

A  corps  of  this  character  was  a  nucleus  for  an  extension  of 
military  morality.  The  "  Forty  Thieves "  would  not  admit  a 
thief;  and  they  became  generally  accepted  as  a  model  of  what 
government  soldiers  should  become. 


BABIS  STALK  AND  KILL  THE  SENTBIES. 


165 


I  believe  that  if  it  were  possible  to  convert  the  greater  portion 
of  African  savages  into  disciplined  soldiers,  it  would  be  the  most 
rapid  stride  toward  their  future  civilization.  The  fact  of  obedi- 
ence being  enforced,  and  the  necessity  of  order,  industry,  and  dis- 
cipline, together  with  clothing  and  cleanliness,  is  all  that  is  abso- 
lutely required  to  bring  a  savage  within  the  bounds  of  good  man- 
agement A  savage  who  has  led  a  wild  and  uncontrolled  life 
must  first  learn  to  obey  authority  before  any  great  improvement 
can  be  expected.  A  soldier  must  obey,  and  he  learns  to  respect 
his  officers  as  his  superiors;  thus  a  savage  who  has  learned  all 
that  he  knows  from  his  officers,  whom  he  admits  as  his  superiors, 
will  quickly  adopt  their  religion,  as  he  has  been  obliged  to  adopt 
their  military  rules.  My  soldiers  were  all  Mohammedans,  sim- 
ply because  they  had  been  taught  by  their  officers  that  good  sol- 
diers should  be  true  believers. 

As  I  have  already  described,  my  station  was  a  mile  and  a 
half  distant  from  head-quarters,  and  the  arrangements  under  my 
personal  inspection  were  very  different  from  the  lax  discipline 
of  the  officers  at  Gondokoro. 

The  natives  of  Belinian  had  disregarded  the  warning  they  had 
received  ;  and  now,  having  leagued  themselves  with  the  Baris  of 
Gondokoro,  they  were  constantly  on  the  watch  for  an  opportu- 
nity of  surprising  the  cattle-guards.  Concealing  themselves  be- 
hind thick  foliage,  they  stalked  the  careless  sentries  with  the 
adroitness  of  American  Indians,  and  sometimes  succeeded  in 
making  a  dash  and  driving  off  a  few  head  of  cattle. 

I  was  obliged  to  take  extra  precautions  during  the  night,  as 
my  little  station  was  dependent  only  upon  "The  Forty,"  while 
the  camp  at  head-quarters  was  occupied  by  one  thousand  two 
hundred  men,  in  addition  to  about  four  hundred  sailors  and  the 
six  Englishmen. 

The  natives  disturbed  us  every  night,  and  were  constantly  fired 
at  by  the  sentries.  I  served  out  cartridges  containing  eight- 
mould  shot,  each  to  be  rammed  down  over  the  ball  in  the  mus- 
kets for  the  night  sentries:  these  would  be  more  likely  to  hit  a 
thief  in  the  dark  than  a  single  bullet.  The  muskets  were  given 
to  the  sentries  in  addition  to  their  rifles. 

I  placed  my  men  every  night,  concealed  by  cover,  so  as  to 
command  the  various  approaches.  The  station  was  conveniently 
situated,  as  a  large  and  deep  lake  completely  defended  the  north 
flank  for  a  distance  of  about  four  hundred  yards.  The  river  de- 
fended the  east  face ;  thus  we  were  only  open  on  two  sides,  one 
of  which  was  commanded  by  the  camp  of  "  The  Forty." 


166 


ISMAILlA. 


On  Jane  28th  it  rained  steadily  during  the  night.  The  Baris 
considered  that  our  sentries  would  be  under  cover,  or  would 
most  likely  not  expect  an  attack ;  they  therefore  resolved  to  at- 
tempt a  surprise.  Their  advanced  scouts  approached  warily  in 
the  dark,  but  long  before  they  had  reached  the  sentries  they  pass- 
ed within  a  few  feet  of  a  party  of  guards  concealed  behind  a 
white-ant  hill.  A  shot  from  a  musket  stretched  one  Bari  dead. 
The  guards  pounced  upon  another  and  seized  him  by  the  throat. 
This  was  a  native  of  Belinian ;  he  was  accordingly  hanged  on 
the  following  morning  to  a  tree  in  the  pathway  by  which  the 
Belinian  Baris  arrived  through  the  forest  to  attack  the  camp. 
This  it  was  hoped  would  be  a  warning  that  might  deter  others. 

On  July  5th  the  natives  made  an  attempt  on  the  cattle,  and 
shot  a  sentry  with  an  arrow. 

On  July  7th  the  Baris  attacked  the  camp  during  the  night. 

On  July  8th  I  sent  a  company  to  take  possession,  and  to  hold 
the  island.  They  met  the  natives,  and  Monsoor  and  Achmet 
Bash  Choush  had  a  narrow  escape  from  lances.  The  Baris  lost 
three  killed  and  two  prisoners. 

On  that  day  the  river  rose  four  feet  six  inches,  which  was  the 
highest  flood  during  the  wet  season. 

On  July  10th,  at  midday,  several  hundred  Baris,  having  cau- 
tiously approached  the  grazing  cattle  unobserved,  made  a  sudden 
rush  from  the  bushes  upon  the  guards,  killing  one  soldier  and 
wounding  another.  The  soldiers  belonged  to  the  line,  and  must 
have  behaved  badly,  as  the  musket  and  cartouche-box  and  belt 
were  stolen  and  carried  off  from  the  dead  man.  The  shouts 
from  the  guard  immediately  alarmed  the  camp.  The  horses 
were  saddled,  and,  attended  by  Lieutenant  Baker,  I  rode  hard 
in  pursuit.  The  natives  had  gained  the  forest,  and  had  scatter- 
ed; but  we  rode  a  red-painted  savnge  to  bay,  who  fought  to  the 
last,  shooting  two  arrows  at  me,  which  I  avoided  by  dropping 
quickly  on  my  horse's  neck,  and  a  third  arrow  stuck  deeply  in 
Mr.  Baker's  saddle  as  he  escaped  the  well-aimed  shot  by  spur- 
ring his  horse  across  the  line  of  sight.  These  arrows  were  shot 
at  a  distance  of  a  very  few  yards.    The  native  was  killed. 

On  July  12th  the  Baris  attempted  to  surprise  both  my  station 
and  the  camp  at  head-quarters. 

On  the  13th  the  natives  repeated  the  attempt,  but  one  was 
shot  dead  by  the  sentry  at  Gondokoro ;  also  another  met  the 
same  fate  at  my  station. 

Nearly  every  night  we  were  subject  to  attempts  at  surprise. 
This  was  excellent  practice  for  the  troops,  as  it  taught  them  the 


WILY  METHOD  OF  ATTACK. 


167 


necessity  of  keeping  a  good  lookout;  at  the  same  time  it  was 
very  wearying,  as  the  men  had  to  work  hard  all  day,  and  they 
were  kept  awake  at  night. 

The  Baris  were  irrepressible  vermin  that  gave  us  no  rest.  My 
men  were  all  occupied  in  building  the  station,  therefore  it  was 
impossible  for  me  to  take  a  flying  column  and  give  the  Baris  a 
severe  lesson  ;  but  I  made  up  my  mind  that,  when  the  work 
should  be  finished,  I  would  take  the  fight  out  of  them  most 
thorough!}'.  They  now  considered  us  fair  game,  that  they 
might  insult  as  they  thought  proper ;  and  I  heard  from  our  two 
faithful  allies,  Sherroom  and  Morgian,  that  they  considered  we 
should  become  afraid  of  them,  and  then  return  to  Khartoum. 

They  teased  us  at  night  like  rats,  but  they  lost  many  men. 
I  rather  admired  them  for  their  persistence,  as  the  scouts  must 
have  been  adventurous  fellows.  Whenever  these  people  were 
taken  prisoners,  they  confessed  that  they  were  the  spies  of  the 
main  body  that  was  concealed  at  some  distance  in  the  rear.  The 
favorite  method  of  a  Bari  attack  is  during  the  night,  when  the 
darkness  reduces  the  danger  of  fire-arms.  On  such  occasions 
they  generally  halt  either  in  forest  or  high  grass,  according  to 
circumstances,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  camp  they  propose  to 
attack.  Scouts  are  sent  forward  to  ascertain  the  position  and 
vigilance  of  sentries  before  the  advance  of  the  main  body.  The 
scouts,  being  quite  naked,  crawl  upon  their  hands  and  knees 
until  the  darkness  permits  them  to  approach  within  a  few 
yards  of  the  sentries.  They  then  lie  flat  upon  their  bellies 
unobserved  until  they  can  retreat  to  the  expectant  body  in  fheir 
rear. 

The  attacking  force  now  advances  in  perfect  silence;  and 
approaching  upon  hands  and  knees  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
scouts,  they  suddenly  spring  upon  the  sentries,  and  with  wild 
yells  make  a  general  rush  upon  the  camp.  This  sudden  attack 
would  be  extremely  dangerous,  unless  provided  against;  and  in 
this  manner  large  parties  of  the  slave -hunters  have  been  com- 
pletely destroyed. 

The  passive  resistance  to  the  numerous  native  attempts  at 
surprise  had  been  misconstrued  by  the  Baris  into  timidity.  The 
news  had  spread  throughout  the  country  that  we  should  not 
venture  far  inland :  thus  a  grand  alliance  had  been  made  among 
the  tribes.  The  Baris  desired  to  make  friends  with  their  pow- 
erful enemy,  the  Loquia:  they  accordingly  invited  this  tribe  to 
form  an  alliance,  and  to  join  in  a  combined  attack  upon  Gondo- 
koro,  by  which  means  they  hoped  to  overpower  and  destroy  our 


163 


ISMAILlA. 


force,  and  to  become  possessed  of  many  thousand  cattle,  which 
were  now  at  head-quarters. 

The  Loquia  consented ;  thus  we  were  exposed  to  a  grand 
coalition.  In  the  mean  time  Abou  Saood  and  his  people,  in 
their  camp  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  continued  to  be  most 
friendly  with  the  enemies  of  the  government,  and  supplied  the 
Belinian  natives  with  ammunition. 

At  1.30  a.m.,  on  July  21st,  I  was  awakened  by  the  sound  of 
firing  at  head-quarters. 

I  was  dressed  and  armed  in  a  few  minutes.  The  bugle  sound- 
ed the  alarm,  and  "  The  Forty  "  fell  into  position. 

I  heard  the  bugles  at  head-quarters,  together  with  a  confused 
din  of  native  drums,  horns,  and  yells.  The  first  shots  had  ap- 
peared to  proceed  from  the  sentries,  but  these  were  shortly  suc- 
ceeded by  heavy  file -firing  from  the  whole  force  at  the  camp. 
An  attack  had  evidently  been  made,  and  a  regular  fight  was  go- 
ing on  at  head-quarters:  it  was  therefore  to  be  expected  that  my 
small  force  would  soon  have  to  act  on  the  defensive.  Spare  am- 
munition was  quickly  in  readiness,  and  we  were  well  prepared. 

In  the  mean  time  a  general  action  was  growing  hotter  every 
moment;  the  yells  of  the  natives  and  the  din  of  their  horns  be- 
came louder.  I  was  momentarily  expecting  to  hear  the  sound 
of  cannon,  and  I  was  speculating  upon  the  effect  that  the  fire  of 
ten  guns  loaded  with  case-shot  would  have  among  such  a  crowd 
of  enemies ;  but,  to  my  astonishment,  not  a  gun  was  fired.  Sim- 
ply the  roll  of  musketry  continued. 

In  about  half  an  hour  the  native  yells  grew  fainter,  the  noise 
of  their  horns  and  drums  was  reduced,  and  the  heavy  firing 
dwindled  to  dropping  shots.  I  heard  the  bugles  sound  "cease 
firing."  I  then  heard  "the  advance."  Again  firing  commenced, 
this  time  in  volleys;  then  I  heard  once  more  "cease  firing,"  and 
then  "  the  retreat."    The  attack  was  repulsed. 

I  could  not  understand  why  my  little  station  had  not  been 
attacked ;  but  I  subsequently  heard  that  the  natives  were  more 
afraid  of  the  "Forty  Thieves"  than  of  the  entire  force.  Added 
to  this  was  the  powerful  reason  that  I  had  only  a  few  cows  for 
milk,  while  the  attraction  of  many  thousand  head  of  cattle  in- 
duced an  attack  on  the  camp  at  Gondokoro. 

On  the  following  morning  before  sunrise  I  rode  up  to  camp 
to  hear  the  news.  It  appeared  that  the  natives  had  actually  sur- 
prised the  sentries.  We  had  lost  a  corporal,  killed ;  and  a  lieu- 
tenant and  one  soldier  were  wounded  by  arrows. 

The  Baris  and  the  Loquia  had  attacked  in  large  force,  with 


COMMENCE  BUILDING  A  FORT. 


169 


the  intention  of  burning  the  station,  as  many  were  provided  with 
flaming  fire-brands,  with  which  they  had  advanced  bravely  to 
the  edge  of  the  thorn  fence.  Had  the  station  not  been  protected 
by  this  defense,  it  is  probable  that  the  enemy  might  have  suc- 
ceeded in  firing  the  houses. 

As  usual,  the  troops  had  fired  badly.  Such  a  fusillade  as  I 
had  heard  should  have  covered  the  plain  with  dead.  The  offi- 
cers and  men  declared  that  great  numbers  of  the  enemy  were 
killed,  but  their  comrades  had  carried  off  the  bodies.  This  was 
true  to  a  certain  extent,  as  I  saw  blood  in  many  directions,  and 
we  found  a  Loquia  lying  dead,  with  two  bullet  wounds  through 
the  head  and  thigh. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  camp  was  surprised  through 
the  neglect  of  the  patrol  and  the  sleepiness  of  sentries,  and  it  was 
only  saved  by  the  thorn  fence  and  the  fire  of  so  large  a  force  as 
twelve  hundred  men.  The  colonel  in  command  of  the  troops, 
Raouf  Bey,  could  give  no  satisfactory  explanation  for  the  silence 
of  the  artillery,  but  he  subsequently  told  me  they  had  forgotten  its 
existence  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment.  Another  officer  told 
me  they  had  brought  up  one  gun,  but  could  not  find  the  key  of 
the  ammunition.  I  remembered  what  David  said  in  his  haste, 
and  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  had  been  disgracefully 
surprised. 

I  determined  to  lose  no  time  in  protecting  the  station  by  a 
ditch  and  earth-work,  so  that  I  could  leave  a  garrison  without 
risk,  and  I  would  then  attack  the  country  in  every  direction. 

The  iron  magazines  were  completed,  and  all  goods  and  supplies 
were  stored.  The  camp  was  so  far  finished  that  the  men  were 
housed.  I  therefore  drew  a  plan  for  the  fort,  which  I  intrusted 
to  the  care  of  Mr.  Higginbotham,  the  chief  engineer,  for  execu- 
tion. I  gave  orders  that  all  hands,  including  the  sailors,  should 
immediately  be  employed  to  dig  the  fosse.  The  expedition  was 
well  supplied  with  tools,  and  the  work  was  commenced  with  vig- 
or, as  the  officers  and  men  did  not  object  to  have  a  deep  ditch 
between  them  and  the  enemy. 

I  also  planned  a  triangular  fort  as  a  protection  to  my  small 
herd  of  about  a  hundred  milch-cows  at  my  own  station.  The 
"Forty  Thieves"  did  not  require  a  fort;  but  the  cattle  might  be 
carried  off  by  a  sudden  rush  that  would  induce  a  stampede  unless 
they  were  well  secured.  • 

"The  Forty"  set  to  work,  assisted  daily  by  thirty  men  from 
head-quarters,  and  we  soon  had  a  strong  fort,  with  ditch  and  ram- 
part, that  defied  attack. 


170 


ISMAILlA. 


A  short  time  after  the  grand  surprise  of  the  camp  at  head- 
quarters, the  last  attempt  was  made  upon  my  little  station,  which 
ended  as  usual  in  my  men  being  well  on  the  alert,  and  in  the 
death  of  one  of  the  scouts,  shot  by  the  outlying  guard  through 
the  thigh.  Before  he  died  he  confessed  that  the  Belinian  and 
the  Loquia,  together  with  the  Baris  of  Gondokoro,  had  united  in 
the  general  attack  on  the  camp  on  the  21st;  but  that  they  had 
lost  many  men,  who,  being  badly  wounded,  had  died  on  the  road 
during  the  retreat. 

My  little  station  from  this  date  went  out  of  fashion ;  and  the 
Baris  declined  to  attack,  as  they  subsequently  declared  that  my 
sentries  were  never  asleep  like  those  at  head-quarters. 

"  The  Forty  "  had  earned  a  reputation  that  increased  their  self- 
respect.  Not  only  were  they  nearly  sure  to  kill  the  wily  scouts, 
but  patrols  at  night  searched  out  the  natives,  and  generally  came 
upon  them  with  fatal  effect. 


NEGRO  CHIVALRY. 


171 


CHAPTER  X. 

DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  SHIR  DETACHMENT. 

On  July  30th,  1871, 1  was  astonished  by  the  arrival  of  the  tall 
sheik,  Niamboor,  with  whom  I  had  left  an  officer  and  six  men  in 
the  Shir  tribe,  to  superintend  the  cultivation  of  corn.  This  fine- 
looking  fellow  was  introduced,  accompanied  by  five  of  his  prin- 
cipal advisers.  He  shortly  told  me  his  story.  He  had  been  four 
nights  on  the  road,  as  he  had  not  dared  to  travel  by  day,  fearing 
the  Baris;  thus,  in  the  dark,  he  had  frequently  wandered  from 
the  track.  In  the  day-time  he  had  slept  in  the  concealment  of 
forests. 

He  had  run  this  risk  in  order  to  be  the  first  to  give  me  the 
bad  news,  lest  I  should  suspect  him  of  foul  play.  All  my  soldiers 
were  killed,  except  the  major,  Achmet  Raflk,  and  a  corporal! 

When  Abou  Saood  had  passed  his  country  some  weeks  since, 
his  people  had  attacked  a  neighboring  sheik,  and  had  carried  off 
a  large  number  of  cattle,  although  he  was  aware  of  the  presence 
of  a  government  officer  with  a  very  small  detachment.  Abou 
Saood  had  sent  three  of  the  captured  cows  as  a  present  to  the 
officer  in  command,  Achmet  Raflk,  who,  instead  of  protesting 
against  the  razzia,  had,  Turk-like,  actually  accepted  the  present, 
and  thus  had  fallen  into  the  snare. 

The  natives,  smarting  under  the  unprovoked  attack,  visited  Ni- 
amboor, and  desired  him  to  send  my  men  out  of  the  country, 
as  they  were  evidently  leagued  with  those  of  Abou  Saood.  The 
sheik  Niamboor  refused,  and  declared  that  he  should  protect  them 
until  he  received  further  orders  from  me.  This  implicated  Niam- 
boor, and  the  neighbors  then  insisted  upon  the  sacrifice  of  Achmet 
Raflk  and  his  few  soldiers  in  revenge  for  their  lost  cattle.  Niam- 
boor, with  a  chivalry  that  is  rare  among  negroes,  declared  his  de- 
termination of  sheltering  my  people  until  he  should  communicate 
with  me.  He  was  attacked  at  night  by  the  neighboring  sheiks, 
and  my  soldiers  assisted  him  in  the  defense.  The  attack  was  re- 
pulsed, and  he  determined  to  return  the  compliment  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  with  the  assistance  of  the  soldiers.  After  a  long- 
march  across  many  deep  channels,  the  battle  went  against  him, 
and  in  a  precipitate  retreat  the  soldiers  could  not  swim  the  deep 


172 


ISMAILlA. 


channels  like  Niamboor's  people;  they  were  accordingly  over- 
taken and  killed,  with  the  loss  of  their  arms  and  accoutrements, 
now  in  possession  of  the  natives. 

Major  Achmet  Rafik  and  a  corporal  were  safe,  as  they  were 
both  ill,  and  had  therefore  not  accompanied  the  five  soldiers  in 
the  attack.  Niamboor  had  faithfully  exposed  himself  to  great 
danger  in  order  to  secure  their  protection,  and  they  were  now  in 
his  keeping,  concealed  in  a  forest  about  a  day's  march  from  the 
village  which  had  been  their  station. 

On  the  following  day  I  sent  the  steamer  off  at  9  P.M.,  with  Niam- 
boor and  twenty  men,  the  moon  being  full.  The  river  had  risen 
about  four  feet  six  inches,  therefore  there  was  no  fear  of  her 
touching  a  sand-bank.  At  the  same  time  I  wrote  to  Abou  Saood, 
giving  him  notice  of  his  responsibility  for  the  loss  of  the  govern- 
ment troops,  caused  by  his  unprovoked  and  unjustifiable  aggres- 
sion. 

All  my  anticipations  of  successful  cultivation  had  been  fruitless. 
The  drought  of  this  year  had  caused  a  general  scarcity.  The 
months  of  July  and  August  should  have  the  heaviest  rain-fall ; 
July  had  just  expired  with  a  rain-fall  of  only  1.13  inch.  The 
mean  temperature  had  been  7l^>°  at  6  a.m.  ;  at  noon,  84°. 

I  was  very  anxious  about  our  supply  of  dhurra,  which  would 
not  last  much  longer.  On  August  1st  I  ordered  the  troops  to  re- 
ceive fifteen  days'  rations  of  rice,  so  as  to  save  the  small  stock  of 
dhurra  until  the  crops  should  be  ripe  upon  the  island.  These 
were  guarded  by  a  company  of  troops.  I  extract  the  following 
entry  from  my  journal : 

"August  2,  1871. — The  Soudani  soldiers  are  discontented  with 
their  rations  of  dhurra,  and  to-day  I  was  addressed  by  an  unrea- 
sonable mob,  demanding  an  increase  of  corn  which  does  not  exist. 
These  people  never  think  of  to-morrow,  and  during  the  long  voy- 
age from  Tewfikeeyah  they  have  been  stealing  the  corn,  and 
drinking  merissa,  heedless  of  the  future. 

"  The  black  colonel,  Tayib  Agha,  is  much  to  blame  for  the  dis- 
content, as  he  has  upon  several  occasions,  in  the  presence  of  the 
troops,  told  Mr.  Higginbotham  and  myself  that  'the  men  could  not 
work  well  because  they  were  hungry.'  This  foolish  remark,  made 
before  the  soldiers  by  their  own  lieutenant-colonel,  is  certain  to 
create  discontent. 

"I  went  across  to  the  island  to  examine  the  corn :  the  greater 
portion  of  the  crop  will  be  ready  in  about  eight  days;  but  the 
Baris,  in  spite  of  the  guards,  are  stealing  large  quantities  during 
the  night. 


LAZINESS  OF  THE  TROOPS. 


173 


"  The  terrible  difficulty  in  this  country  is  the  want  of  corn  ;  and 
now  that  all  direct  communication  with  Khartoum  is  cut  off  by 
the  obstructions  in  the  Nile,  the  affair  is  most  serious.  The  na- 
tives are  all  hostile ;  thus  a  powerful  force  is  absolutely  necessary, 
but  the  difficulty  is  to  feed  this  force. 

"I  wrote  an  official  letter  to  Kaouf  Bey  to  caution  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Tayib  Agha  against  making  remarks  in  the  presence  of 
his  troops." 

On  August  3d  the  steamer  returned,  bringing  Achmet  Eafik 
and  the  sole  surviving  soldier  from  the  Shir.  This  officer  de- 
clared his  men  to  have  been  insubordinate,  and  that  they  joined 
the  natives  against  his  orders  to  make  an  attack  upon  their  ene- 
mies. 

Two  witnesses,  the  surviving  soldier  and  the  wife  of  one  that 
was  killed,  declared  that  Achmet  Eafik  himself  gave  the  men  or- 
ders to  attack  a  tribe,  in  company  with  the  people  of  Niamboor ; 
but  fearing  responsibility  for  the  result,  he  now  laid  the  onus  of 
failure  upon  the  insubordination  of  the  men. 

My  people  were  so  obtuse  that  they  could  not  understand  the 
true  position  of  affairs.  The  harvest  was  commencing.  I  had 
jealously  guarded  the  corn  upon  the  island,  which  should  have 
produced  at  least  five  hundred  urdeps;  but  the  officers  and  men 
did  not  wish  to  see  the  granaries  filled,  as  that  fact  would  destroy 
the  excuse  for  a  return  to  Khartoum ;  thus,  instead  of  laboring 
with  heart  and  soul  to  gathei  the  harvest,  they  worked  so  lazily, 
that  in  nine  days  they  only  reaped  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
urdeps,  or  not  one-half  that  was  actually  upon  the  fields.  They 
permitted  the  natives  to  steal  it  by  night,  and  the  swarms  of  small 
birds  destroyed  an  incredible  quantity  by  day.  These  innumera- 
ble and  ruinous  pests  do  not  consume  the  entire  grain,  but  they 
nibble  the  soft  sweet  portion  from  the  joint  of  each  seed,  neatly 
picking  out  the  heart;  thus  the  ground  beneath  is  strewed  with 
their  remnants  of  destruction. 

I  had  not  visited  Belinian  since  the  first  attack,  for  two  rea- 
sons. First,  we  were  engaged  in  fortifying  the  station ;  and, 
secondly,  I  did  not  wish  to  raise  the  suspicion  among  the  Baris 
that  I  might  come  down  suddenly  upon  their  crops.  Up  to  the 
present  time  we  had  acted  mainly  on  the  defensive,  and  the  na- 
tives had  no  fear  for  their  harvest.  I  knew  that  about  two  thou- 
sand acres  of  dhurra  would  be  at  our  service  by  a  sudden  attack 
on  Belinian,  if  the  troops  would  work  earnestly  to  secure  it.  At 
the  same  time  I  was  afraid  to  mention  the  subject,  lest  some  in- 
trigue might  destroy  the  possibility  of  success. 


174 


ISMAIL! A. 


If  Abou  Saood  or  his  people  had  possessed  a  knowledge  of  my 
intentions,  they  would  at  once  have  given  warning  to  our  ene- 
mies, and  would  have  destroyed  my  plans.  Both  Abou  Saood 
and  the  greater  number  of  the  officers  were  anxiously  watching 
the  close  of  the  drama,  as  they  imagined  that,  with  the  disap- 
pearance of  supplies,  the  curtain  would  fall  upon  the  last  act. 

I  possessed  information  that  would  render  me  independent  of 
corn  from  Khartoum,  if  the  troops  would  only  work  honestly. 
We  were  at  open  war  with  the  Baris,  and  we  had  been  constant- 
ly subjected  to  their  attacks.  I  had  arranged  my  plans  to  com- 
plete my  forts,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  a  campaign  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  harvest,  when  the  country  would  be  full  of  corn. 
My  two  rich  harvests  would  be  Belinian — twelve  miles  distant — 
and  the  fruitful  islands  beyond  the  mountain  Regiaf,  about  six- 
teen miles  south  of  Gondokoro.  The  latter  would  be  easily  col- 
lected, as  the  vessels  could  load  at  the  islands,  and  convey  the 
cargoes  down  stream  direct  to  head-quarters. 

Every  thing  depended  upon  the  officers  and  men.  Eaouf 
Bey,  who  commanded  the  troops,  was  in  daily  communication 
with  Abou  Saood,  who  was  exerting  himself  to  the  utmost  to 
ruin  the  expedition  by  promoting  discontent,  and  persuading 
the  officers  that  they  would  die  of  starvation,  and  that  the  Baris 
were  most  dangerous  enemies,  who  would  exterminate  the  troops 
should  I-  weaken  the  force  by  taking  a  detachment  to  form  sta- 
tions in  the  interior.  • 

It  was  thus  prearranged  by  my  own  people  that,  even  if  in  the 
midst  of  plenty,  the  corn  should  not  be  collected  in  any  larger 
quantity  than  would  suffice  to  feed  the  expedition  during  the  re- 
turn voyage  from  Grondokoro  to  Khartoum. 

In  that  case  the  expedition  would  be  broken  up  and  abandon- 
ed ;  the  authorities  would  piously  ejaculate,  "El  hambd  el  Illah  !" 
(Thanks  be  to  God!);  the  country  would  once  more  fall  into  the 
hands  of  Abou  Saood  by  contract  with  the  government  of  the 
Soudan;  the  good  old  times  of  slave-hunting  would  return,  and 
remain  undisturbed ;  the  Christian  would  have  been  got  rid  of 
by  an  ignominious  failure.  Abou  Saood  would  have  boasted  of 
the  success  of  his  diplomacy;  and  Allorron  and  his  Baris,  once 
freed  from  the  restraint  of  a  government,  would  have  fraternized 
again  with  their  allies,  the  slave-hunters,  to  pillage,  kidnap,  and 
desolate  the  productive  countries  of  Central  Africa. 

I  determined  that  the  expedition  should  succeed,  and,  with 
God's  help,  I  would  overcome  every  opposition. 

The  forts  were  completed.    Gondokoro,  or,  as  I  had  named  it, 


FAST  ASLEEP. 


175 


Ismailia,  was  protected  by  a  ditch  and  earth-work,  with  bastions 
mounting  ten  guns.  My  little  station  was  also  fortified;  I  thus 
could  commence  a  campaign  against  the  whole  Bari  tribe,  with- 
out fearing  for  the  safety  of  my  base. 

On  August  30th,  1871, 1  started  with  a  force  of  four  hundred 
and  fifty  men,  with  one  gun,  and  one  rocket-trough  for  Hale's 
three-pounder  rockets. 

I  left  twenty  of  the  u Forty  Thieves"  at  my  little  station,  to- 
gether with  a  re-enforcement  of  thirty  men.  I  had  ordered  the 
captain  of  the  diahbeeah,  upon  which  my  wife  resided,  to  push 
the  vessel  off  the  bank,  and  to  anchor  in  the  stream  every  night. 

The  Baris  of  the  Belinian  mountain  were  well  provided  with 
guns  and  ammunition,  which  they  had  taken  in  various  massa- 
cres of  the  slave-traders'  parties  some  years  before.  On  one  oc- 
casion they  had  killed  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  of  the  trad- 
ers in  one  day,  and  had  possessed  themselves  of  their  arms,  with 
many  cases  of  cartridges. 

On  several  occasions  they  had  destroyed  smaller  parties  with 
the  same  result,  and  they  had  never  been  at  peace  with  Abou 
Saood  since  he  had  treacherously  murdered  their  sheik  and  his 
family.  Recently  having  allied  with  Abou  Saood's  friends,  the 
Baris  of  Gondokoro,  against  the  government,  some  of  the  Beli- 
nian people  had  ventured  to  trade,  and  had  established  a  commu- 
nication with  Abou  Saood's  people,  from  whom  they  purchased 
ammunition  in  exchange  for  tobacco. 

Having  given  orders  on  the  previous  evening  that  the  men 
were  to  be  under  arms  ready  for  the  march  at  1  A.M.,  I  was  an- 
noyed to  find  that  neither  officers  nor  men  were  prepared  when 
I  arrived  punctually  at  the  hour  appointed  at  head -quarters. 
The  colonel,  Raouf  Bey,  was  fast  asleep,  and  had  to  be  aroused 
by  the  sentry.  This  was  a  breach  of  discipline  that  cost  Major 
Achmet  Rafik  his  life.  After  some  annoying  delay,  I  started  for 
Belinian.  At  that  time,  in  the  dark  night,  I  was  not  aware  that 
Achmet  Rafik  was  absent.  This  officer  was  a  thorough -bred 
Turk,  and  had  seen  much  service,  having  been  through  the  Crim- 
ean war,  and  also  in  that  of  Arabia,  under  Abbes  Pasha.  He 
ought  to  have  known  better,  but  he  shared  the  prevalent  feeling 
of  discontent;  thus,  instead  of  being  on  the  alert  and  at  his  post, 
he  was  asleep  when  the  troops  started  on  their  night  march. 

When  awakened,  he  hastily  dressed,  buckled  on  his  sword  and 
revolver,  and,  taking  a  double-barreled  gun  in  his  hand,  he  en- 
deavored to  follow  the  troops,  but  mistook  the  direction,  and  lost 
his  way  in  the  dark. 

14 


176 


ISMAILiA. 


We  arrived  at  the  open  valley  of  Belinian  at  day-break,  but 
native  scouts  had  already  given  the  alarm  of  our  approach. 
There  were  some  hundred  villages  situated  in  the  vale  and  on 
the  heights'along  the  base  of  the  mountain;  but  at  this  season 
only  the  tops  of  the  huts  were  visible  above  the  high  dhurra, 
which  was  just  ripened,  although  the  general  harvest  was  not  yet 
commenced. 

There  is  no  covert  so  much  in  favor  of  native  warfare  as  the 
high  dhurra,  which  perfectly  conceals  their  movements,  at  the 
same  time  that  it  is  easily  passed  through  at  speed. 

The  Bari  drums  were  beating  throughout  the  country,  and 
their  horns  were  sounding  in  all  directions.  Clearing  the  way 
with  skirmishers,  we  marched  along  a  good  path  for  about  four 
miles  parallel  with  the  base  of  the  mountain,  until  we  arrived  at 
a  plain  or  bottom,  which  bore  the  marks  of  cattle-hoofs  in  great 
numbers.  This  spot  was  about  thirteen  miles  from  head-quarters 
at  Gondokoro.  ^ 

There  was  no  dhurra  cultivation  on  the  right,  near  the  base  of 
the  mountain,  as  the  soil  was  poor  and  sandy:  we  thus  had  a 
clear  view  of  the  country.  The  cattle  had  been  driven  off,  and 
we  were  only  in  time  to  see  them  disappearing  over  the  distant 
high  ground.  The  natives  had  collected  in  large  numbers,  and 
seemed  disposed  to  dispute  the  advance  of  the  troops. 

The  ground  was  perfectly  clean,  as  the  cattle  had  fed  off  the 
grass  until  it  was  as  smooth  as  a  garden  lawn.  From  the  posi- 
tion we  occupied,  the  country  inclined  upward  toward  the  base 
of  the  mountain,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant;  this  interval 
abounded  in  villages,  all  of  which  were  defended  by  stockades. 
At  the  base  of  the  mountain  were  broken  hills,  composed  of  huge 
granite  rocks,  the  foundations  of  mountains  that  had  long  since 
decayed.  Upon  all  these  strong  positions  were  the  usual  stock- 
aded villages. 

I  ordered  the  troops  to  extend  in  two  lines,  supported  by  a  re- 
serve with  the  field-piece  and  rocket-trough.  With  the  "Forty 
Thieves"  in  the  front,  we  advanced  along  the  plain  toward  the 
mountain. 

The  Baris  now  opened  fire  upon  us  from  their  villages,  from 
which  they  were  driven  in  succession,  until  no  enemy  remained 
to  oppose  us  except  those  upon  the  high  ground. 

Our  right  was  now  protected  by  an  exceedingly  deep  ravine, 
which  was  a  water-course  cut  by  the  torrents  from  the  mountain. 
I  accordingly  took  a  party  of  the  "Forty  Thieves,"  and  follow- 
ing along  the  edge  of  the  ravine,  ascended  the  slope  that  led  to 


ASSAULT  ON  STOCKADES. 


177 


the  stockades  upon  the  heights.  Great  numbers  of  natives  had 
assembled,  and  were  shouting  the  most  abusive  epithets  in  Ara- 
bic, until  we  arrived  at  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  foremost 
stockade.  This  now  opened  fire  upon  us,  the  natives  being  con- 
cealed within,  and  aiming  with  their  muskets  between  the  inter- 
stices of  the  upright  piles. 

My  riflemen  now  knelt  down  and  fired  at  the  puffs  of  smoke 
as  they  issued  from  the  impenetrable  iron-wood  zareebas.  This 
was  just  the  work  that  the  Baris  understood,  as  their  position  en- 
abled them  to  fight  unseen  among  the  numerous  stockades  and 
high  rocks  clothed  with  bush. 

The  bullets  were  whistling  merrily,  and  presently  a  soldier  by 
my  side  was  shot  through  the  fleshy  part  of  the  hip.  I  exam- 
ined him,  and  saw  that  the  bullet  had  passed  through — therefore 
he  continued  firing.  A  wife  of  one  of  the  soldiers  was  shot 
through  the  calf  of  the  leg.  She  had  accompanied  him  with  a 
small  parcel  of  cooking  -  pots  and  food  from  Gondokoro  that 
morning,  and  thus  came  under  fire. 

The  main  body  was  delaying  in  the  rear,  replying  to  the  fire 
of  the  Baris  on  the  other  side  of  the  impassable  ravine.  I  had 
only  twenty  men  with  me  in  addition  to  Lieutenant  Baker.  I 
therefore  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  "assembly,"  as  I  de- 
termined to  attack  the  stockades  with  the  whole  force. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  main  body  arrived,  and  formed  for  the 
attack.  The  bugles  and  drums  sounded  the  advance,  and  the 
troops,  having  fired  several  volleys,  rushed  on  at  the  double  and 
stormed  the  position.  This  was  well  executed,  and  the  rush  was 
so  unexpected  by  the  Baris  that  the  stockades  were  taken  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet,  Captain  Morgian  Sherreef  *  distinguishing 
himself  by  the  gallant  manner  in  which  he  led  his  company:  he 
was  the  first  man  to  break  through  the  gate-way. 

This  attack  was  something  that  the  Baris  did  not  comprehend. 
They  had  only  been  accustomed  to  face  the  slave-hunters'  irregu- 
lar companies,  and  they  had  never  seen  a  charge  home  with  the 
bayonet.  They  now  began  to  clamber  up  the  rocks  and  ascend 
the  mountain  with  the  activity  of  baboons,  while  a  sharp  fire 
from  the  Snider  rifles  acted  like  a  spur  upon  their  movements. 
A  shell  from  the  gun  now  burst  over  a  number  of  the  enemy  who 
had  collected  about  eight  hundred  yards  in  our  rear.  This  was 
an  unmistakable  notice  to  quit.    We  set  fire  to  the  stockades,  and 


*  This  officer  was  a  Soudani,  who  had  served  under  Marshal  Bazaine  for  four 
years  in  Mexico. 


178 


ISMAILlA. 


the  Baris  having  disappeared,  I  selected  a  position  for  a  night's 
bivouac. 

There  was  a  bad  supply  of  water,  and  we  could  procure  noth- 
ing but  a  muddy  mixture  which  smelled  strongly  of  goats.  We 
had  found  a  number  of  fat  calves  and  sheep;  thus,  having  fix- 
ed upon  a  site  in  the  flat  open  plain,  the  men  collected  fire-wood, 
and  when  the  evening  set  in,  the  camp-fires  were  blazing,  and 
every  man  was  well  supplied  with  food. 

I  doubled  the  sentries  for  the  night,  but  we  remained  undis- 
turbed. 

I  was  very  anxious  about  the  major,  Achmet  Kafik,  as  Eaouf 
Bey  and  the  officers  declared  that  he  would  have  certainly  en- 
deavored to  follow  the  troops  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  disobey- 
ing the  orders  he  had  received.  The  Baris  never  take  prisoners ; 
and  should  they  meet  him,  which  would  be  most  probable,  his 
death  was  certain. 

On  the  following  morning  I  ordered  an  advance  toward  the 
north  side  of  the  plain,  where  I  had  observed  a  line  of  zareebas 
upon  elevated  ground  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  plain  and 
the  base  of  the  mountain  that  we  had  attacked  yesterday. 

On  arrival  upon  the  higher  ground,  I  found  the  country  per- 
fectly flat,  and  completely  covered  with  heavy  crops  of  ripe  dhur- 
ra,  in  which  the  zareebas  were  concealed,  with  the  exception  of 
the  tops  of  the  huts.  Drums  were  beating  and  horns  blowing  in 
all  these  stockades. 

I  had  a  suspicion  that  the  Baris  might  have  stationed  sharp- 
shooters in  ambush  among  the  high  dhurra.  I  therefore  directed 
a  couple  of  rockets  through  the  corn.  The  rush  of  these  un- 
known projectiles  produced  a  great  effect,  as  they  burst  through 
the  stockade,  and  buzzed  and  whizzed  about  the  huts  within  the 
defense.  An  eight -pound  shell  from  the  gun  now  crashed 
through  the  stockade,  and  went  howling  along  through  the  dense 
fields  of  dhurra,  until  it  exploded  about  five  hundred  yards  in 
the  rear. 

The  bugle  immediately  sounded  the  advance  with  the  bayonet, 
and  the  troops  made  a  rush  forward  through  the  corn  and  cap- 
tured the  stockade. 

We  now  found  no  less  than  six  of  these  powerful  inclosures 
within  an  area  of  about  four  acres.  These  would  form  an  admi- 
rable position.  I  therefore  gave  orders  that  the  corn  should  be 
immediately  cleared  away  so  as  to  leave  an  open  space.  Guards 
were  posted  in  various  places;  sentries  were  placed  on  the  sum- 
mits of  the  tallest  huts  to  keep  a  good  lookout,  while  the  remain- 


FEMALE  FOREIGN  MINISTER. 


17!) 


der  of  the  force  set  to  work  and  commenced  clearing.  By  sun- 
set we  had  cut  down  about  six  acres. 

I  gave  orders  to  Raouf  Bey  to  divide  the  troops  in  four  stock- 
ades, which  formed  a  sort  of  quadrilateral.  This  officer  suggest- 
ed that  the  men  might  all  be  massacred  by  a  Bari  night  attack  if 
thus  divided,  and  he  proposed  to  inclose  the  whole  force  of  four 
hundred  and  fifty  men  within  one  zareeba,  like  sheep  or  cattle! 
In  spite  of  our  successes,  the  officers  had  a  wholesome  dread  of 
the  Baris  that  relieved  me  from  all  apprehensions  of  their  erring 
by  an  excess  of  rashness. 

I  divided  the  soldiers  of  the  line  in  three  zareebas,  while  I  oc- 
cupied the  fourth  with  Lieutenant  Baker  and  twenty  men  of  the 
"  Forty  Thieves." 

Every  day  was  now  passed  in  collecting  corn,  but  the  soldiers, 
as  usual,  worked  badly.  In  the  mean  time  the  natives  worked 
most  energetically  during  the  night,  and  carried  off  ten  times  the 
amount  gathered  by  the  troops.  There  was  so  bad  a  feeling 
among  the  officers,  that  it  was  easy  to  perceive  they  were  prede- 
termined to  neglect  this  opportunity  of  filling  our  granaries. 

The  Baris  were  excellent  diplomatists,  and,  seeing  that  we 
were  too  powerful  to  resist  by  open  force,  they  sent  women  to 
treat  for  peace.  This  was  simply  a  manoeuvre  to  gain  time,  as 
during  the  truce  they  could  carry  off  the  corn  by  day  as  well  as 
night.  I  always  leaned  toward  peace,  although  the  war  had  been 
wantonly  forced  upon  me;  thus  we  soon  established  friendly  re- 
lations with  an  old  sheik  named  Jarda,  about  two  miles  from  the 
Belinian  mountain.  This  old  fellow  had  an  exceedingly  clever 
sister,  who  would  have  made  a  good  foreign  minister.  She  ex- 
plained just  as  much  of  the  Belinian  politics  as  would  suit  her 
purpose,  and  very  properly  declared  that  the  women  were  all  in 
favor  of  the  government,  and  they  would  use  their  influence  with 
the  men,  some  of  whom  she  asserted  had  very  "  hard  heads." 

Old  Jarda,  who  was  about  eighty  years,  and  had  sufficient 
worldly  experience  to  appreciate  the  value  of  a  good  counselor, 
left  the  diplomatic  arrangements  to  his  sister,  who  became  ex- 
tremely active,  and  ran  about  the  country  to  collect  the  principal 
head  men. 

We  had  many  palavers,  which  as  usual  ended  in  nothing  but 
assurances  of  good-will,  and  an  explanation  that  the  attacks  on 
Gondokoro  were  made  by  certain  districts,  but  that  Jarda's  peo- 
ple were  not  responsible.  In  the  mean  time  thousands  of  women 
and  children  were  engaged  in  carrying  off  the  corn.  The  coun- 
try seemed  alive  with  baskets,  as  these  useful  articles  were  seen 


180 


ISMAILlA. 


gliding  about  in  all  directions  on  the  heads  of  natives  that  were 
invisible  in  the  high  grass. 

I  returned  to  Gondokoro  for  re  -  enforcements,  and  I  collect- 
ed two  hundred  armed  sailors.  With  this  additional  force,  my 
wife  also  accompanied  me  to  our  camp  at  Belinian.  We  had 
now  six  hundred  and  fifty  men  to  collect  the  corn.  I  noticed  an 
extraordinary  diminution  in  the  crop  during  my  absence  of  only 
two  days,  but  not  a  corresponding  increase  in  the  store  collected 
by  the  troops  left  under  the  command  of  Kaouf  Bey. 

I  had  occupied  the  valley  by  a  line  of  three  stockaded  posi- 
tions, at  intervals  of  about  a  mile  and  a  half;  thus  a  very  large 
area  of  corn  was  commanded ;  and  if  the  patrols  had  done  their 
duty,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  the  natives  to  have  car- 
ried it  off. 

Nothing  had  been  heard  of  the  missing  major,  Achmet  Kafik ; 
he  had  not  returned  to  Gondokoro  as  I  had  hoped.  I  now  dis- 
covered, through  the  native  women,  that  he  had  been  killed  by 
the  Baris  on  the  same  day  that  we  had  arrived  at  Belinian.  It 
appeared  that  the  unfortunate  officer  had  steered  his  course  for 
the  Belinian  mountain  peak,  in  the  hope  of  overtaking  the  troops. 
This  route  through  the  forest  led  him  to  the  extreme  end  of  the 
valley  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  quite  in  the  wrong  direction. 
Having  arrived  at  the  nearly  dry  bed  of  the  Belinian  river,  he 
sat  beneath  a  tree  to  rest.  The  natives  quickly  observed  him, 
and  stalked  him  as  though  he  had  been  a  wild  animal. 

It  appeared  that,  when  attacked,  he  had  wounded  one  native 
in  the  head  with  his  "little  gun,"  as  the  Baris  termed  his  revol- 
ver; and  this  man  was  still  alive,  with  the  bullet  in  his  skull, 
which  the  women  declared  was  swollen  as  large  as  a  pumpkin. 

Achmet  Rafik  was  thus  overpowered  and  killed,  with  the  gain 
to  the  Baris  of  his  arms  and  ammunition. 

I  immediately  started  off  with  a  company  of  troops,  led  by  a 
Bari  guide,  to  the  west  end  of  the  plain,  where  my  officer  had 
been  killed.  I  had  not  yet  visited  this  spot,  but  the  guilty  na- 
tives were  wide  awake,  and  they  had  concealed  the  arms,  which 
I  had  hoped  to  recover.  The  forest  was  tolerably  open,  and  was 
full  of  small  villages  concealed  by  the  trees.  I  spread  out  my 
men,  and  regularly  drove  the  covert.  Suddenly  we  came  upon 
a  herd  of  cattle  and  a  number  of  natives,  who  had  imagined 
themselves  secure  in  the  depths  of  the  forest. 

I  immediately  dashed  into  them  on  horseback,  accompanied 
by  Lieutenant  Baker,  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  and  Monsoor,  and 
followed  by  the  troops.    The  cattle,  seeing  the  red  shirts  of  the 


CAPTURE  OF  CATTLE. 


181 


"Forty  Thieves,"  had  gone  off  in  a  regular  stampede  through 
the  forest:  this  precipitate  flight  had  been  quickened  by  the  re- 
port of  the  rifles.  It  was  difficult  work  to  manage  the  herd  with 
only  four  horses.  No  one  who  has  not  hunted  African,  and  es- 
pecially Bari  cattle,  can  have  an  idea  of  the  activity  of  these  ani- 
mals. They  go  along  at  a  tremendous  pace,  and  never  appear  to 
get  blown ;  thus  we  were  spurring  hard  through  the  forest  in  or- 
der to  overtake  the  herd,  when,  to  my  great  satisfaction,  we  ar- 
rived at  the  broad  bed  (nearly  dry)  of  the  Belinian  river.  This 
checked  the  pace,  and  we  reined  up  our  horses,  and  quietly  wait- 
ed for  the  troops,  who  were  excellent  runners. 

A  few  men  of  "The  Forty"  were  the  first  up,  and  we  man- 
aged to  drive  the  cattle  across  the  river  on  to  the  open  plain. 
Hardly  had  we  arrived  on  the  level  ground,  when  they  started 
off  in  another  stampede,  and  kept  us  going  for  about  three  miles, 
as  though  we  were  following  hounds. 

With  a  horse  on  each  flank  and  in  the  rear  of  the  herd,  we 
at  length  managed  to  control  their  movements.  Fortunately  we 
had  been  running  toward  our  camp. 

A  herd  of  cattle  generally  depends  upon  a  few  of  its  members, 
which  are  usually  followed  by  the  others.  Upon  this  occasion 
there  were  two  cows  that  appeared  to  direct  their  movements. 
These  wild  creatures  refused  to  enter  our  cattle-kraal  upon  ar- 
rival at  the  camp,  when  the  troops,  having  seen  our  approach, 
came  out  to  render  assistance.  With  skillful  management  the 
herd  was  secured  within  the  kraal,  with  the  exception  of  the  two 
undisciplined  cows,  which  started  off  at  full  speed  along  the  plain, 
followed  by  Abd-el-Kader  and  myself.  A  black-and-white  cow 
was  exceedingly  vicious,  and  being  hard  pressed  for  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  she  turned  to  bay  on  the  open  plain.  I  was 
riding  my  best  horse,  named  "  The  Pig,"  who  was  very  powerful 
and  fast,  and  understood  cattle-driving  thoroughly.  "The  Pig" 
accordingly  avoided  the  charge  of  the  infuriated  cow,  which 
dashed  at  him  like  a  wild  buffalo.  I  immediately  shot  her  in  the 
shoulder  with  a  revolver,  which  had  no  other  effect  than  to  turn 
her  toward  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  who  was  riding  a  large,  clum- 
sy chestnut  called  "  Jamoos"  (the  buffalo).  This  horse  remained 
perfectly  still  when  the  cow  rushed  at  him,  and  Abd-el-Kader, 
instead  of  firing  his  rifle,  received  the  charge  full  upon  his  left 
leg,  into  which  the  cow  drove  her  sharp  horn,  making  a  serious 
wound  nearly  through  the  calf.  I  then  shot  the  cow  through  the 
head ;  but  Abd-el-Kader  was  in  great  pain,  and  quite  disabled. 

Upon  counting  our  cattle,  we  found  one  hundred  and  sixty- 


182 


ISMAILTA. 


five.  This  was  a  very  small  herd,  but  they  had  been  difficult  to 
capture.  The  Baris  had  seen  that  nothing  could  escape  from  the 
horses. 

Our  new  ally,  old  Jarda,  with  his  diplomatic  sister,  came  to 
visit  us  upon  hearing  of  our  success,  and  immediately  asked  for 
a  calf,  which  I  gave  him. 

Jarda's  sister  now  informed  me  that  the  sheik  of  the  mountain 
wished  for  peace,  and  requested  permission  to  visit  me.  On  the 
following  day  he  appeared.  He  was  a  fine,  powerful  fellow,  but 
with  a  bad  expression.  I  had  already  heard  that  Jarda  and  he 
were  not  friends,  therefore  I  looked  upon  this  introduction  with 
suspicion. 

After  the  usual  declaration  of  friendship  by  the  new  sheik,  and 
an  apology  for  past  misdemeanors,  presents  were  requested.  A 
fat  calf  was  given  ;  then  a  sheep  was  demanded ;  this  was  also 
supplied.  We  now  came  to  business.  It  appeared  that  the  Beli- 
nian  Baris  had  been  called  upon  by  Allorron  to  become  allies, 
at  the  same  time  that  Loquia  had  been  invited  to  join  in  the  gen- 
eral attack  that  had  been  made  upon  Gondokoro. 

Loquia  had  hesitated,  but  had  at  length  joined  Belinian,  as  the 
government  troops  had  been  reported  as  great  cowards,  who  were 
afraid  to  venture  far  from  their  head-quarters.  The  many  thou- 
sand cattle  known  to  be  at  Gondokc^o,  and  the  fabulous  amount 
of  stores  and  material,  at  length  tempted  the  Loquia  to  join 
forces. 

On  the  night  of  the  attack,  it  now  appeared  that  Loquia  had 
lost  many  men  killed;  others  who  were  wounded  dropped  on  the 
way,  and  died  on  the  route  through  Belinian.  This  loss  so  en- 
raged Loquia  (who  considered  that  he  had  been  only  used  as  a 
cat's-paw),  that  he  was  determined  not  to  return  home  empty- 
handed.  He  therefore  revenged  himself  upon  his  allies,  and  cap- 
tured about  two  thousand  head  of  cattle  from  Belinian,  with 
which  he  returned  to  his  mountains,  two  days  distant. 

On  the  day  following  my  interview  with  the  sheik  of  the 
mountain,  "Wani,"  I  received  information  which  made  me  sus- 
pect that  he  was  not  the  real  sheik,  and  that  some  trick  was  in- 
tended. 

Once  more  I  was  waited  upon  by  old  Jarda,  with  his  female 
minister  of  foreign  affairs,  in  company  with  Wani,  the  reputed 
sheik  of  the  mountain,  together  with  a  number  of  head  men. 

I  now  received  a  direct  proposal  to  form  a  general  alliance. 
The  Belinian  Baris  declared  allegiance  to  the  government,  and 
proposed  to  join  all  their  forces  to  make  a  grand  attack,  in  con- 


INTENDED  TEE  A  CHER  Y. 


183 


junction  with  the  troops,  upon  a  country  about  sixteen  miles  dis- 
tant, governed  by  a  sheik  named  Lokko.  They  described  this 
country  as  abounding  in  corn  and  sesame,  in  addition  to  great 
wealth  in  cattle.  They  also  declared  that  they  had  already  sent 
spies  into  the  land,  who  had  returned  with  the  news" that  the  har- 
vest was  over,  and  all  the  grain  was  stowed  in  the  granaries; 
thus  the  troops  would  have  no  trouble  in  collecting  the  corn. 

They  also  promised  that  if  I  would  make  the  attack,  they 
would  collect  all  their  women,  and  transport  the  corn  to  head- 
quarters at  Gondokoro  ;  thus  the  soldiers  would  have  no  fatigue. 
At  the  same  time  they  described  the  people  of  Lokko  as  very 
powerful,  and  declared  that  I  should  require  nearly  all  my  force, 
as  very  few  troops  would  be  now  necessary  to  protect  my  camp 
at  Belinian,  as  we  were  all  friends! 

This  kind  regard  for  my  military  arrangements  confirmed 
my  suspicions.  It  was  intended  to  draw  off  the  greater  portion 
of  the  troops  to  a  distance,  in  company  with  the  pretended  allies. 
The  attack  was  really  to  be  made  on  Lokko,  but  my  troops  were 
also  to  be  overpowered  when  unsuspectingly  returning  by  a  night 
march  with  the  spoil.  The  cattle  captured  from  Lokko  would 
then  fall  into  the  hands  of  Belinian,  and  my  camp,  protected  by 
a  weak  force,  was  to  be  surprised. 

I  pretended  to  enter  into  this  scheme,  but  I  expressed  a  doubt 
whether  they  would  perform  their  part  of  the  engagement,  and 
convey  the  corn  from  Lokko  to  Gondokoro.  This  they  declared 
emphatically  they  would  do  without  failing. 

I  proposed  that,  if  they  could  convey  such  an  enormous  quan- 
tity so  great  a  distance  from  Lokko  to  Gondokoro,  they  should 
first  prove  their  fidelity  by  transporting  the  few  hundred  urdeps 
from  our  Belinian  camp  to  head-quarters.  If  they  would  assist 
us  in  this  manner,  they  should  be  paid  for  their  trouble,  and  I 
should  then  believe  in  their  sincerity.  On  the  other  hand,  if  they 
refused,  I  should  be  perfectly  certain  that  they  would  also  decline 
to  transport  the  corn  from  Lokko,  and  that  every  individual 
would  merely  scramble  for  spoil,  and  return  to  Belinian  with  a 
load  of  plunder  for  his  own  use.  We  should  then  be  left  at  Lok- 
ko in  a  foolish  position. 

After  much  discussion,  they  promised  to  carry  the  corn  to 
Gondokoro  before  commencing  operations  against  Lokko;  but  I 
at  once  perceived  by  their  manner  that  they  had  not  the  slightest 
intention  of  performing  any  such  contract.  They  felt  that  their 
scheme  had  been  found  out. 

Although  Africans  are  notoriously  cunning  and  treacherous, 


184 


ISMAIL1A. 


they  have  not  sufficient  patience  or  self-sacrifice  to  enable  them 
to  carry  out  a  perfect  scheme.  If  the  Belinians  had  wished  to 
succeed  in  their  plan,  they  should  have  willingly  carried  the  corn 
to  Goudokoro,  and  thus  have  established  confidence.  In  all  my 
experience  with  African  tribes,  I  have  observed  this  want  of  or- 
ganization in  their  plans.  Like  ignorant  chess-players,  they  only 
think  of  the  first  few  moves,  and  thus  are  at  a  loss  when  sudden- 
ly checked. 

Of  course  I  had  no  intention  of  attacking  Lokko,  as  I  had  no 
complaint  against  him ;  and  although  a  Bari,  he  was  a  chief  who 
had  always  behaved  well  to  the  Austrian  missionaries.  This 
portion  of  the  Bari  tribe,  instead  of  being  sixteen  miles,  was  at 
least  thirty  miles  distant  to  the  north  of  Belinian,  and  was  situ- 
ated on  the  White  Nile,  where  the  sheik,  Lokko,  was  known  to 
the  traders  as  "Oom  Nickla." 

The  following  extracts  from  my  journal  will  at  once  explain 
the  state  of  affairs.  The  natives  had  lost  their  chance,  and  feel- 
ing that  their  treachery  had  been  discovered,  they  never  came  to 
me  again : 

"September  22,  1871.  —  No  natives  will  come  near  us.  Abou 
Saood  arrived  with  forty  men  to  ask  my  permission  that  he 
might  start  for  Khartoum. 

"September  23. — The  natives,  disappointed  in  their  trick,  will 
have  nothing  to  say  to  us." 

On  September  25th  the  natives  treacherously  attacked  an  un- 
armed soldier.  This  man  had  strayed  a  few  hundred  yards  from 
the  camp,  against  orders,  to  search  for  wild  thyme.  A  native 
met  him  and  accosted  him  by  the  welcome  'Adotto  julio."  The 
soldier  advanced  close,  when  the  treacherous  Bari  immediately 
shot  an  arrow  into  him.  This  passed  through  his  arm  with  such 
force  that  more  than  half  the  length  of  the  arrow  protruded  on 
the  other  side.  The  soldier  shouted  for  help,  and  the  Bari  de- 
camped as  he  saw  others  running  to  the  rescue. 

On  the  same  day,  two  women  were  attacked  when  they  went 
to  fetch  water,  and  their  clothes  were  stolen  by  the  natives. 

On  September  27th,  an  artilleryman  went  to  the  river  about 
four  hundred  yards  distant  to  fetch  water,  alone.  This  was  quite 
contrary  to  orders.  The  thoughtless  fellow  left  his  musket  on 
the  bank  while  he  descended  to  the  sandy  bed,  through  which 
trickled  a  clear  stream. 

He  was  watched  by  natives  who  were  lying  in  wait  conceal- 
ed by  the  high  dhurra.  These  rascals  suddenly  rushed  out  and 
speared  him  to  death.    The  man  screamed  so  loudly  before  he 


RENEWAL  OF  HOSTILITIES. 


185 


died  that  a  number  of  soldiers  rushed  to  his  assistance  from  the 
camp,  but  they  were  only  in  time  to  bring  in  his  body. 

This  was  at  4  P.M.,  and  I  observed  natives  armed,  who  were 
hovering  about  on  all  sides. 

I  sounded  the  bugle,  and  attacked  them  without  delay,  destroy- 
ing several  stockades.  It  is  impossible  to  come  to  any  terms 
with  such  treacherous  people.  In  spite  of  my  kindness  and  wish 
to  do  good  and  to  benefit  their  country,  they  requite  me  with 
the  murder  of  any  unarmed  man  whom  they  can  find. 

"September  29. — I  attacked  a  position  on  the  mountain.  Hav- 
ing fired  several  rockets  from  the  base  into  a  station  about  three, 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  above,  I  ordered  the  troops  to  advance 
from  two  sides.  My  men  scrambled  quickly  up  the  rocks,  and 
destroyed  the  station. 

"September  30. — A  few  days  ago  the  soldiers  purposely  burned 
several  granaries  full  of  corn,  and  threatened  to  kill  Sherroom 
and  Morgian,  my  Bari  interpreters,  if  they  should  report  the  act 
to  me,  saying,  '  If  the  corn  is  finished,  we  shall  all  go  back  to 
Khartoum.' " 

This  proves  that  the  old  spirit  against  the  expedition  still  ex- 
ists.   The  men  take  their  cue  from  the  officers. 

In  spite  of  the  general  discontent,  I  could  place  the  greatest 
reliance  upon  the  "Forty  Thieves"  and  their  officers.  This  little 
corps  performed  nearly  all  the  active  service.  Their  red  shirts 
had  become  so  well  known  that  the  color  was  enough  to  keep 
the  natives  at  a  distance ;  but  although  the  Baris  were  now  afraid 
to  risk  a  stand-up  fight,  they  troubled  us  by  their  stealthy  tactics. 
It  was  impossible  to  say  where  they  were  concealed.  They  were 
spread  all  over  the  country :  some  hidden  in  the  tall  dhurra, 
others  behind  bushes.  Their  favorite  place  was  in  the  grass  and 
scattered  bush  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  where  they  lay  in  wait 
for  any  unlucky  soldier  whose  disobedience  of  orders  led  him  to 
tempt  his  fate. 

It  seemed  almost  as  impossible  to  clear  the  country  of  these 
people  as  to  purge  Africa  from  snakes.  Patrols  were  of  little 
service,  as  the  natives  lay  as  closely  concealed  as  hares  in  form. 

I  determined  at  length  to  meet  them  with  their  own  tactics. 
They  occupied  the  neighborhood  in  ambush.  I  would  also  lay 
in  ambush.  This  system  of  ambuscade  employed  so  generally 
by  the  Baris  had  created  a  wholesome  alarm  among  the  troops, 
which  tended  to  obedience.  They  now  began  to  appreciate  the 
orders  that  no  one  should  stray  alone  from  the  camp,  and  that 
the  watering-party  should  consist  of  a  powerful  guard.    At  the 


I  Si? 


ISMAILlA. 


same  time,  the  surprises  that  had  occurred  had  somewhat  shaken 
their  confidence. 

I  called  the  "Forty  Thieves"  together.  These  fine  fellows  al- 
ways took  a  great  interest  in  their  work. 

I  explained  to  them  the  difficulty  of  fighting  against  an  ene- 
my whose  tactics  would  not  permit  a  battle ;  at  the  same  time  I 
should  now  operate  against  them  somewhat  upon  their  own  prin- 
ciple: by  establishing  a  series  of  sharp-shooters  who  should  oc- 
cupy the  neighborhood,  and  render  it  impossible  for  the  Baris  to 
remain  in  the  country. 

My  corps  was  now  complete,  as  I  had  brought  up  those  who 
had  remained  at  Gondokoro;  I  had  thus  forty-eight  officers  and 
men.  To  this  force  I  now  added  fifty  select  men  from  the  line, 
and  marched  them  away  from  camp. 

Upon  arrival  at  the  broad  bed  of  the  river,  I  explained  to  them 
the  plan.  The  natives  generally  approached  unperceived  by 
means  of  this  winding  trench,  which  entirely  concealed  them. 
The  banks  of  this  river  were  in  most  places  nearly  perpendicular, 
and  were  about  nine  feet  deep.  The  river  was  about  sixty  or 
seventy  paces  broad,  and  was  nearly  dry,  as  a  very  shallow  stream 
flowed  through  the  centre  of  its  bed. 

If  the  high  banks  were  occupied  for  a  distance  of  several  miles 
by  small  parties  of  sharp-shooters  concealed  in  high  dhurra,  or 
behind  an  ant-hill,  or  crouched  in  high  grass  or  bush,  or  in  any 
thing  that  would  serve  as  a  protection,  it  would  be  impossible  for 
the  Baris  to  approach  by  the  favorite  river-bed  without  being  ex- 
posed to  a  deadly  fire  from  the  long  line  of  sentries. 

I  therefore  selected  a  position  commencing  far  beyond  my  line 
of  posts,  and  entirely  commanding  the  river-bed  for  a  distance  of 
several  miles.  The  soldiers  were  delighted  with  the  plan  sug- 
gested. I  arranged  that  before  daylight  on  the  following  morn- 
ing they  should  occupy  the  positions  assigned  in  parties  of  two 
men  if  Sniders,  or  three  if  muskets,  at  intervals  of  one  hundred 
paces;  thus  the  country  would  be  protected  by  a  chain  of  guards 
perfectly  concealed  from  view. 

I  gave  orders  to  the  officers  commanding  the  two  stockades  to 
carry  out  this  system  throughout  the  neighborhood,  so  that  it 
would  be  impossible  for  any  enemy  to  move  without  falling  into 
an  ambuscade. 

At  day-break  I  was  up,  and  as  usual  drank  my  coffee  and 
smoked  the  morning-pipe.  At  that  time  my  wife  and  I  occupied 
a  tent  outside  the  stockade  beneath  the  most  magnificent  tama- 
rind-tree that  I  have  ever  seen.    From  this  spot  we  had  a  clear 


THE  BAB  IS  ASTONISHED. 


187 


view  of  the  country.  On  the  west  of  the  plain,  two  miles  distant, 
rose  the  mountain  of  Belinian.  On  the  east  was  park-like  land, 
interspersed  with  fine  ornamental  timber,  through  which  the  river 
winded.  For  about  a  hundred  acres  around  the  camp  the  high 
dhurra  had  been  cut  down  j  therefore  the  view  was  uninter- 
rupted. 

Every  thing  was  perfectly  still  at  this  early  hour;  the  birds 
were  only  beginning  to  chirp,  and  the  vultures  were  just  lazily 
assembling  to  see  if  they  could  discover  one  more  morsel  at  the 
slaughtering-place  of  the  preceding  day. 

No  one  would  have  suspected  that  the  entire  neighborhood 
was  occupied  by  sharp-shooters  for  a  distance  of  some  miles. 

The  wily  Baris  had  delighted  in  their  leopard-like  tactics,  which 
had  given  them  several  opportunities  of  inflicting  loss  upon  the 
troops.  They  now  commenced  their  daily  occupation,  and  start- 
ed in  small  but  numerous  parties  from  their  distant  villages,  for 
the  purpose  of  waylaying  any  stragglers.  The  sun  rose,  and  with 
my  telescope  I  observed  natives  about  half  a  mile  distant  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river.  Sometimes  these  people  disappeared  in 
the  high  dhurra;  every  now  and  then  they  re-appeared;  then 
again  they  were  lost  to  view.  They  were  stealthily  approach- 
ing, for  the  purpose  of  occupying  their  positions  for  concealment. 
These  wily  Baris  imagined  that  we  were,  as  usual,  keeping  on  the 
alert  around  the  camp,  but  they  had  no  idea  that  the  leopard  was 
himself  so  near  the  hidden  snare. 

Suddenly  a  puff  of  white  smoke  shot  up  from  the  bright  green 
grass  on  the  other  side  of  the  river-bed — then  another,  followed 
by  the  reports  of  two  rifles.  I  saw  natives  running  at  full  speed 
to  the  left.  Another  and  another  puff'  of  smoke  issued  from  a 
different  quarter,  as  the  astonished  Baris,  in  their  hasty  retreat, 
stumbled  over  the  next  ambuscade.  I  now  saw  a  native  run- 
ninglike a  deer,  but  chased  like  a  good  deer-hound  by  one  of  the 
"Forty  Thieves."  The  native  was  so  hard  pressed  by  this  good 
runner,  who  was  encumbered  with  clothes,  rifle,  and  ammunition, 
that  he  had  been  obliged  to  throw  away  his  bow  and  arrows,  to- 
gether with  his  lance.  He  now  gained  upon  the  soldier  slight- 
ly, but  they  were  not  five  paces  apart  when  they  disappeared  in 
the  high  dhurra.  That  soldier  was  Ali  jSTedjar,  of  the  "Forty 
Thieves,"  the  strongest  man,  the  best  shot,  and  the  fleetest  run- 
ner of  the  force.    Presently  I  heard  a  shot. 

Throughout  that  day  occasional  shots  were  heard  in  every  con- 
ceivable quarter.  I  took  a  walk  through  the  country,  attended 
by  a  few  of  my  men,  and  upon  several  occasions  I  was  challenged 


188 


ISMAILlA. 


from  a  bush,  or  tuft  of  high  grass,  showing  that  the  men  were  all 
in  position  and  well  concealed. 

When  the  bugle  recalled  the  sharp-shooters  in  the  evening, 
each  had  some  adventure  to  recount,  and  the  whole  camp  re- 
joiced in  the  success  of  the  manoeuvre.  It  was  a  case  of  "the 
biter  bit." 

The  men  now  looked  forward  to  this  employment,  and  starting 
at  day-break,  they  took  their  supply  of  food  for  the  day. 

Some  of  them  were  very  clever  at  this  kind  of  service,  especial- 
ly Ali  Nedjar.  Ali  was  a  native  of  Bongo — a  broad-shouldered, 
muscular  fellow,  with  thighs  like  a  grasshopper.  It  was  a  pleas- 
ure to  see  him  run,  and  to  witness  the  immense  power  and  speed 
with  which  he  passed  all  competitors  in  the  prize  races,  in  which 
I  sometimes  indulged  my  men.  Ali  Nedjar  was  a  good  soldier, 
a  warm  lover  of  the  girls,  and  a  great  dancer;  thus,  according  to 
African  reputation,  he  was  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  a  man.  Added  to 
this,  he  was  a  very  willing,  good  fellow,  and  more  courageous  than 
a  lion. 

I  had  several  men  of  Ali  Nedjar's  stamp  in  "The  Forty," 
among  which  were  the  three  Ferritch  :  Ferritch  Agha  Suachli, 
Ferritch  Ajoke  (formerly  condemned  to  be  shot),  and  Ferritch 
Baggara ;  and  it  may  be  easily  imagined  that  a  corps  composed 
of  such  material  was  an  awkward  enemy  for  the  Baris. 

After  a  few  days  the  ground  became  almost  too  hot  for  the 
enemy.  They  now  ascended  high  trees,  from  which  they  could 
survey  the  country,  and  direct  the  movements  of  their  scouts. 
Ali  Nedjar  was  too  much  for  them,  even  with  this  precaution. 
He  had  observed  them  like  rooks  in  a  large  tree  at  a  great  dis- 
tance. The  tree  grew  in  a  field  of  high  dhurra;  and  while  the 
wily  Baris  were  looking  out  from  their  lofty  post,  expecting  to 
discover  us  in  the  distance,  the  still  more  wily  Ali  Nedjar  had 
crept  on  hands  and  knees  through  the  corn,  and  was  actually  be- 
neath the  tree ! 

The  report  of  a  Snider  rifle  under  their  feet,  and  the  fall  of  one 
of  their  party,  was  the  first  intimation  they  received  of  the  sol- 
dier's presence. 

This  plan  of  occupying  the  country  was  most  successful,  and 
in  a  short  time  the  Baris  entirely  abandoned  the  neighborhood. 
They  confessed  afterward  that  it  was  useless  to  attempt  to  fight 
with  such  people,  as  the  earth  was  full  of  soldiers  who  sprang  up 
out  of  the  ground  beneath  their  feet. 

We  had  been  thirty-five  days  at  Belinian,  and  the  enemy  had 
been  entirely  subdued.    I  explained  to  them  my  determination 


END  OF  THE  BELINIAN  CAMPAIGN. 


189 


of  paying  them  another  visit  should  we  ever  be  disturbed  again 
at  Gondokoro ;  thus,  if  they  wished  for  peace,  they  must  remain 
quiet. 

The  soldiers  and  sailors,  including  all  the  women  of  the  camp, 
were  employed  for  some  days  in  conveying  the  corn  to  head- 
quarters. If  our  people  had  worked  well,  we  should  have  had 
a  supply  for  twelve  months.  Instead  of  which,  a  force  of  six 
hundred  and  fifty  men  had  actually  delivered  in  the  magazine 
only  one  hundred  and  fifty  urdeps,  or  about  six  hundred  and 
seventy  bushels. 

I  have  naturally  omitted  many  military  incidents,  and  have 
only  given  an  outline  of  the  Belinian  campaign,  but  the  moral 
effect  was  good  on  all  sides.  The  soldiers  had  learned  their  own 
superiority  to  the  natives,  and  had  gained  experience  and  confi- 
dence; and  the  Baris  of  Belinian  had  learned  the  truth;  and  in 
future  we  should  sleep  in  peace  at  head-quarters. 

15 


190 


ISMAILIA. 


CHAPTER  XL 

SPIRIT  OF  DISAFFECTION. 

The  amount  of  corn  collected  by  the  troops,  now  in  the  mag- 
azines, was  only  sufficient  for  two  months'  consumption  at  full 
rations. 

There  was  a  spirit  of  general  disaffection  among  the  officers 
and  troops. 

Although  I  had  worked  with  them  in  every  difficulty  and  led 
them  invariably  to  success,  there  was  a  general  dislike,  not  to  me 
personally,  but  to  the  system  of  rigid  discipline  that  I  was  deter- 
mined at  all  hazards  to  enforce,  and  to  the  general  object  of  the 
expedition. 

Neither  officers  nor  men  could  understand  why,  during  open 
war,  I  should  forbid  the  capture  of  women  and  children,  who, 
by  all  Mohammedan  rules,  were  lawful  prizes ! 

It  was  not  slave-hunting :  they  were  simple  prisoners  of  war 
that  God  had  delivered  into  their  hands;  and  it  was  a  hard  case 
that,  after  all  the  trouble  and  difficulties  which  had  been  encoun- 
tered, they  should  be  debarred  from  taking  a  few  prisoners. 

This  was  the  argument  of  the  military  force,  to  which,  had 
I  yielded,  the  expedition  would  have  quickly  relapsed  into  the 
original  slave-hunting  of  the  White  Nile,  which  I  was  bound  to 
suppress.  I  have  already  described  the  direct  disobedience  of 
the  officers  in  having  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty-six 
slaves  secretly  from  the  slave-hunters'  station  during  the  voyage. 
A  slave-trade  would  quickly  spring  up  between  the  Khedive's 
officers  and  the  slave-hunters  of  Abou  Saood,  unless  I  enforced 
the  strictest  discipline.  The  expedition  would  represent  a  gov- 
ernment slave-market  for  the  reception  of  slaves  captured  by  the 
Khartoum  companies. 

It  may  easily  be  imagined,  that  my  determination  to  enforce 
obedience  to  the  newly-instituted  reform  caused  bitter  disappoint- 
ment and  disgust.  The  government  I  had  established  afforded 
justice  and  protection  to  all,  whether  freeman  or  slave.  I  had 
not  interfered  with  the  slaves  that  had  been  the  property  of  of- 
ficers prior  to  my  taking  the  command  of  the  expedition  ;  these 
remained  in  their  original  position,  with  the  simple  improvement, 
that  they  could  not  be  ill-treated  with  impunity. 


ABSOLUTE  JUSTICE. 


191 


A  poor  little  Abyssinian  boy,  about  eleven  years  of  age,  had 
one  day  crawled  through  the  high  river  grass  to  escape  the  ob- 
servation of  the  sentries,  and  suddenly  appeared  on  the  deck  of 
my  diahbeeah  to  claim  protection.  He  was  streaming  with  blood, 
and  had  been  shamefully  ill-used  by  his  master,  who  was  a  cap- 
tain in  the  Egyptian  regiment.  The  boy  demanded  his  freedom, 
and  I  immediately  granted  his  release. 

This  forfeiture  of  a  slave  was  a  warning  that  had  an  excellent 
effect  in  favor  of  the  slaves,  but  was  very  unpopular  among  the 
force. 

Although  I  regretted  the  ill-feeling  which  existed  on  all  sides, 
I  considered  the  position  with  patience;  and  I  could  not  help  ad- 
mitting that  this  was  a  natural  and  inevitable  consequence  of  a 
sudden  reform  wThich  threatened  so  many  interests. 

At  the  same  time,  I  was  determined  to  carry  out  my  mission 
without  shrinking  from  any  consequences.  I  was  ordered  to 
suppress  the  slave-trade ;  therefore  that  slave-trade  should  be 
suppressed;  and  I  trusted  that  time  would  eventually  give  me 
so  improved  a  control  over  the  feelings  of  my  people,  that  I 
might  succeed  in  my  reform,  and  yet  banish  all  ill-will. 

In  the  midst  of  anxieties,  there  was  one  lasting  satisfaction  in 
my  position.  I  had  the  power  to  execute  absolute  justice,  and  I 
washed  for  no  other  reputation  among  my  people,  whether  slaves 
or  freemen,  than  the  confidence  of  pure  equity  to  be  obtained 
without  delay.  At  all  hours  I  was  accessible,  and  even  the  com- 
plaints of  little  children  were  attended  to  with  the  same  atten- 
tion that  was  bestowed  upon  more  important  appeals.  I  hoped 
by  this  line  of  conduct  to  be  able  at  length  to  incorporate  myself 
with  the  expedition,  and  to  gain  the  affection  of  my  people ;  with- 
out which  success  would  be  impossible. 

The  terrible  absence  of  discipline  among  the  troops  was  a  great 
difficulty,  but  I  had  already  improved  them  greatly.  Since  the 
mutiny  of  the  black  division  at  Taka,  in  the  year  1865,  when  they 
murdered  their  officers,  and  committed  many  atrocities,  the  Egyp- 
tian officers  had  always  distrusted  them. 

I  was  told  by  the  colonel,  Raouf  Bey,  that  if  a  black  soldier 
were  punished,  his  comrades  would  probably  mutiny  should  he 
be  a  general  favorite.  The  extreme  laxity  of  discipline  was  the 
result  of  a  want  of  vigor  on  the  part  of  the  officers. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  Bari  war,  the  conduct  of  the 
troops,  both  black  and  white,  was  disgraceful.  I  have  seen  them, 
in  the  presence  of  the  enemy,  rush  into  a  village  and  commence 
indiscriminate  pillage;  the  officers  mingled  with  their  men  in  a 


L92 


ISMAILlA. 


race  for  plunder.  Several  soldiers  bad  been  killed  by  the  na- 
tives upon  such  occasions,  when  separated  from  the  rest  in  search 
of  spoil.  The  colonel  had  assured  me  that  it  was  impossible  to 
prevent  this  sacking  of  villages,  as  it  was  the  reward  that  the 
troops  expected  after  a  victory. 

Fortunately  my  model  corps,  the  "Forty  Thieves,"  were  al- 
ways with  me,  which  enabled  me  to  act  decidedly.  My  lieuten- 
ant-colonel, Abd-el-Kader,  and  the  faithful  Monsoor,  were  ready 
to  carry  out  my  orders  on  the  spot. 

When  I  caught  the  troops  in  disorderly  pillage,  I  had  the  prin- 
cipal actors  seized  and  laid  down  on  the  instant  in  the  centre  of 
the  men,  and  administered  fifty  apiece  with  a  stout  bamboo. 

The  Soudani  soldiers  quickly  perceived  that  the  reins  were 
tighter  than  formerly ;  and  I  followed  up  the  principle  of  stern 
punishment  until  I  obtained  an  absolute  control,  without  the 
slightest  attempt  at  resistance  to  my  authority. 

I  had  learned  to  like  the  Soudanis ;  there  was  an  untiring  en- 
ergy in  their  movements  very  unlike  the  Egyptians;  they  only 
required  European  officers  to  become  first-rate  troops. 

Although  the  force  had  much  improved  by  the  increase  of  dis- 
cipline, they  would  have  much  preferred  the  good  old  times  of 
plunder  and  prisoners.  The  officers  had  always  looked  forward 
to  the  glorious  opportunity  of  procuring  a  few  slaves  in  Central 
Africa,  although  they  could  not  exactly  define  the  manner  of  ob- 
taining them :  thus  my  severe  orders  upon  this  subject  caused  a 
serious  heart-burning,  and  a  desire  to  give  up  so  barren  an  expe- 
dition. 

The  station  was  now  complete,  and  well  fortified  by  a  ditch 
and  earth-work.  My  own  little  station  was  the  picture  of  neat- 
ness. I  had  two  acres  of  the  finest  Egyptian  cotton  (galleen). 
Every  inch  of  the  knoll  was  highly  cultivated,  the  lawn  was 
closely  cut,  and  the  diahbeeah,  which  was  our  home,  lay  snugly 
alongside  the  bank,  close  to  which  was  a  little  summer-house,  sur- 
rounded by  a  prolific  garden.  This  was  a  little  gem  of  civiliza- 
tion set  in  the  middle  of  savage  Africa.  My  "Forty  Thieves" 
were  perfect  gentlemen  in  comparison  with  the  line  regiments. 
The  sanitary  arrangements  of  the  station  were  good;  there  was 
very  little  sickness,  at  the  same  time  that  upward  of  four  hun- 
dred men  suffered  from  ulcerated  legs  at  head-quarters. 

Our  domestics  were  much  improved.  Those  who  had  been 
slaves  liberated  by  me  from  the  traders'  vessels  at  Tewfikeeyah 
had  learned  their  duties,  and  had  become  very  useful.  My  wife 
had  trained  some  nice  girls  of  seventeen  or  eighteen  to  household 


THE  HEAIIT  OF  OLD  KARKA. 


193 


duties,  in  addition  to  half  a  dozen  excellent  boys,  who  were  all 
neatly  clothed,  and  kept  in  admirable  discipline.  Among  these 
was  the  Abyssinian  boy,  "Amarn,"  who  had  lately  received  his 
freedom.  He  was  a  pretty  little  lad,  and  his  brown  complexion 
looked  quite  light  in  comparison  with  his  coal-black  comrades. 
The  Abyssinian  blood  showed  in  strong  contrast  to  the  negro 
type  around  him,  and  he  was  far  superior  in  intelligence  to  any 
of  the  Central  Africans. 

The  girls  were  under  old  Karka,  who  had  been  with  us 
throughout  our  former  journey.  This  old  woman  was  very 
proud  because  I  had  given  twelve  pounds  to  purchase  her  free- 
dom in  Khartoum.  She  was  a  good  old  soul,  but  wonderfully 
fond  of  fine  clothes;  and  on  great  occasions  she  always  turned 
out  in  clouds  of  snowy  muslin  with  red  edges  and  fringe,  like  a 
young  Abyssinian  beauty.  It  was  amusing  to  see  her  emerge 
from  her  hut  in  full  costume,  her  broad,  flat  face  beaming  with 
smiles  in  happy  consciousness  of  universal  admiration. 

Old  Karka  was  a  sort  of  duenna  to  watch  over  the  morals  of 
the  younger  girls,  and  to  see  that  they  did  not  become  too  "  fast;" 
but  I  believe  that  even  the  heart  of  Karka  beat  high  when  a  cer- 
tain corporal  of  the  gallant  "Forty  Thieves"  passed  by.  Old 
Karka  was  actually  accused  of  sending  presents  of  food,  careful- 
ly cooked  by  her  own  hands,  to  the  house  of  this  same  corporal, 
Abdullah,  thus  appealing  to  his  stomach,  which  is  the  direct  road 
to  the  heart,  in  African  courtship.  The  younger  girls  and  the 
boys  of  the  establishment  exclaimed,  "  Mashallah  !  Old  Karka! 
who  would  have  believed  it?" 

It  was  curious  to  observe  the  difference  between  my  station 
and  that  of  head-quarters  at  Gondokoro  ;  at  one,  all  was  content- 
ment and  good  order  ;  in  the  other,  discontent  and  disorder. 

I  had  constant  complaints  from  Mr.  Higginbotham  that  my  or- 
ders that  he  should  be  supplied  with  men  for  public  works  were 
disobeyed,  and  that  every  obstacle  was  thrown  in  his  way. 

My  Englishmen  had  been,  as  usual,  very  industrious  ;  and  hav- 
ing erected  the  iron  magazines,  they  were  now  engaged  in  build- 
ing a  flat-bottomed  barge  to  assist  in  transporting  corn  from  the 
islands  south  of  Regiaf.  They  had  not  been  in  the  best  health, 
but  they  nevertheless  continued  to  work  with  an  energy  and 
spirit  that  were  a  delightful  contrast  to  the  sluggishness  and 
apathy  of  the  Egyptians  ;  and  I  felt  proud  of  my  countrymen. 

Immediately  on  my  return  from  Belinian,  I  had  given  orders 
that  thirty  vessels  should  be  prepared  to  return  to  Khartoum. 

I  had  not  returned  these  vessels  earlier,  as  I  required  all  the 


194 


ISMAILlA. 


sailors  to  assist  in  building  the  station,  and  in  collecting  corn  for 
the  troops.  At  this  season  (October)  the  Nile  was  at  its  maxi- 
mum, therefore  I  hoped  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  the  return 
voyage  to  Khartoum  with  empty  vessels,  and  the  stream  in  their 
favor.  Had  I  returned  them  earlier,  I  should  have  been  obliged 
to  victual  them  for  a  four  months'  voyage  at  a  time  when  corn 
was  extremely  scarce.  The  sailors  had  now  assisted  us  in  our 
work,  and  they  would  not  require  provisions  for  more  than  two 
months,  as  the  Nile  was  full. 

Every  arrangement  that  I  had  made  had  been  most  carefully 
considered.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  greatest  enemy  to 
the  expedition  was  the  White  Nile.  This  adverse  river  had 
given  a  serious  check.  The  work  and  fatigue  in  cutting  through 
the  obstructions  had  killed  many  men,  and  had  laid  the  seeds 
of  fatal  complaints  among  many  others.  The  men's  hearts  had 
been  broken  at  the  onset.  There  was  even  now  a  feeling  of  de- 
spair of  the  possibility  of  receiving  supplies  and  re-enforcements 
by  river  from  Khartoum.  We  appeared  to  have  forsaken  the 
known  world,  and,  having  passed  the  river  Styx,  to  have  become 
secluded  forever  in  a  wild  land  of  our  own,  where  all  were  ene- 
mies, like  evil  spirits,  and  where  it  was  necessary  either  to  pro- 
cure food  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  or  to  lie  down  and  die. 

If  the  White  Nile  had  been  the  fine,  navigable  river  that  I  had 
known  in  former  years,  I  believe  I  should  have  had  no  difficulty, 
as  I  could  have  quickly  overcome  the  scruples  of  my  officers  by 
direct  reports  of  their  conduct  to  the  Khedive ;  but  we  were  lost 
to  the  world  almost  as  absolutely  as  though  quartered  in  the 
moon. 

I  had  proposed,  when  in  Cairo,  that  steamers  should  run 
monthly  between  Khartoum  and  Gondokoro,  with  the  post  and 
all  necessary  supplies.  In  former  days  this  would  have  been  a 
matter  of  course,  and  the  fact  of  a  connection  with  the  Soudan 
government  would  have  supported  discipline;  but  the  frightful 
obstructions  of  the  river  rendered  communication  impossible,  ex- 
cept by  a  regular  expedition  in  large  force. 

My  own  heart  felt  heavy  sometimes,  but  I  said  nothing.  I 
could  easily  appreciate  the  feelings  of  others,  whose  hearts  were 
not  actually  in  favor  of  the  enterprise. 

Nevertheless  I  commanded,  and  no  matter  what  the  obstacles 
might  be,  I  had  only  one  duty. 

A  new  and  sad  calamity  had  attacked  us.  The  well-known 
African  horse-sickness  broke  out.  In  spite  of  ever}'  precaution, 
my  horses  died.    The  disease  commenced  by  an  appearance  of 


LETTER  FROM  RAOUF  BEY. 


195 


languor,  rapid  action  of  the  heart,  scantiness  of  urine,  costiveness, 
swelling  of  the  forehead  above  the  eyes,  which  extended  rapidly 
to  the  whole  head ;  stiffness  and  swelling  of  the  neck,  eyes  promi- 
nent and  blood-shot,  running  at  the  nose  of  foul  greenish  matter 
in  extraordinary  quantities,  convulsions,  death. 

My  favorite  horse,  "  The  Pig,"  was  attacked.  I  had  anxiously 
watched  him  daily,  and  one  morning  I  fancied  that  the  usual 
hollow  above  the  eyes  was  rather  full.  This  fatal  symptom  was 
too  true  a  warning.  He  passed  through  the  usual  stages  of  the 
complaint,  and  died  on  the  same  day  that  he  was  first  attacked. 

I  had  only  seven  horses  remaining  out  of  twenty-one  that  had 
started  with  me  from  Cairo.  In  addition  to  these  were  two  horses 
belonging  to  the  officers. 

The  fact  of  the  horses  dying  added  to  the  unfavorable  impres- 
sion already  in  the  minds  of  the  officers  and  troops.  In  addition  to 
this  calamity,  the  drought  at  Gondokoro  had  been  unprecedented. 
The  native  cultivation  and  that  of  the  troops  had  all  perished  on 
the  light,  sandy  soil  of  Gondokoro.  Kain  had  fallen  in  the  vicin- 
ity ;  but  this  unfortunate  locality  is  very  subject  to  droughts,  as 
the  rain-clouds  are  attracted  by  neighboring  mountains,  where 
they  expend  themselves.  The  rich  soil  of  the  river  islands  will 
always  insure  a  crop,  as  the  roots  penetrate  to  a  depth  where  they 
obtain  moisture  from  the  river.  As  already  described,  the  troops 
had  worked  so  badly  that  one-half  of  the  island  crop  had  been 
carried  away  by  birds.  Thus,  when  the  harvest  was  in  their 
hands,  they  neglected  to  gather  it;  they  now  complained  that 
nothing  would  succeed  in  Gondokoro. 

Abou  Saood  had  not  gone  to  Khartoum,  therefore  his  journey 
to  Belinian  to  request  my  permission  to  depart  was  only  a  ruse 
for  some  purpose  at  present  unknown. 

I  shall  now  extract  verbatim  from  my  journal  the  entry  upon 
October  13,  1871 : 

" October  13,  Friday. — The  truth  has  burst  out  at  last.  As  I 
have  long  expected,  the  evil  spirit  has  brooded  mischief." 

Late  last  night  I  received  a  letter  from  Eaouf  Bey  inclosing 
two  others :  one  from  the  regimental  officers,  addressed  to  their 
respective  lieutenant  -  colonels ;  the  other  from  the  lieutenant- 
colonels,  inclosing  the  letters,  and  seconding  the  declaration  with 
a  petition  embodying  the  same  request  to  the  full  colonel.  The 
letter  from  Eaouf  Bey  supported  the  petitions  and  seconded  the 
general  complaint.  The  burden  of  this  lengthy  and  carefully- 
arranged  correspondence  was  the  determination  of  the  officers 
and  troops  to  abandon  the  expedition  and  return  to  Khartoum. 


196 


ISHAILXA. 


The  seals  of  every  officer  were  attached,  with  the  exception  of 
those  belonging  to  the  "Forty  Thieves." 

I  noticed  that  although  there  were  three  separate  letters  upon 
several  immense  sheets  of  paper,  they  were  all  written  in  the 
same  handwriting.  This  proved  that  they  were  the  result  of  dic- 
tation from  a  superior,  and  I  at  once  traced  the  conspiracy  to  the 
colonel,  Raouf  Bey,  the  friend  of  Abou  Saood. 

It  had  been  prearranged  in  this  fashion,  without  a  hint  of  such 
an  intention  having  been  given  to  me,  that  the  officers  should 
sign  a  round-robin  to  their  lieutenant-colonels ;  the  latter  should 
support  and  forward  the  round-robin,  together  with  a  letter  from 
themselves ;  the  colonel  should  then  forward  this  general  and  ir- 
resistible expression  of  public  opinion  to  me,  together  with  a  long 
epistle  from  himself,  explaining  the  absolute  necessity  of  a  gen- 
eral abandonment  of  the  expedition,  and  a  return  to  Khartoum. 

I  find  these  words  in  my  journal:  "These  letters  from  the  of- 
ficers declare  that  the  expedition  must  return  to  Khartoum,  as 
there  is  no  corn  in  the  country,  and  the  soldiers  would  die  of 
starvation. 

"Although  these  people  complain  of  want,  they  actually  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  twenty-six  slaves  during  the  journey 
from  Tewfikeeyah,  thus  adding  to  the  number  of  mouths,  and  at 
the  same  time  acting  against  my  positive  orders. 

"They  say  there  is  no  corn  in  the  country,  but  as  yet  they 
know  nothing  of  the  neighborhood,  with  the  exception  of  Be. 
linian ;  and  when  in  the  midst  of  plenty  they  will  not  collect  it. 
Thus  the  Khedive's  officers  would  actually  abandon  the  expedi- 
tion, and  forsake  the  immense  amount  of  stores,  merchandise,  etc., 
which  would  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  natives. 

"  By  God,  not  a  man  shall  go  back,  except  by  my  orders !  no 
matter  whether  they  mutiny  or  not.  I  shall  forward  the  officers' 
letters  to  the  Khedive."* 

This  conspiracy  would  have  played  the  game  of  Abou  Saood, 
and  he  would  have  reveled  in  his  success.  I  make  no  remarks 
upon  the  conduct  of  Raouf  Bey,  but  the  chain  of  facts  will  speak 
for  themselves. 

For  the  first  half-hour  after  the  receipt  of  these  letters,  I  was 
disgusted  through  every  bone.  It  appeared  as  though  all  hope 
of  success  was  gone.  What  could  be  done  with  such  wretched 
and  treacherous  material? 


*  It  will  be  interesting,  in  the  Appendix,  to  observe  the  notice  that  was  taken  of 
this  report. 


SUDD  EX  OB  DEBS  FOB  ACTION. 


197 


1  would  not  condescend  a  reply  to  the  letters  I  had  received. 
I  rode  up  to  head-quarters;  Mr.  Higginbotham  was  ill,  as  were 
also  some  of  the  Englishmen,  and  Mr.  Marcopolo.  Nevertheless 
all  were  unanimous  in  their  resolve  to  stand  by  the  expedition 
at  any  risk. 

I  sent  Lieutenant  Baker,  E.  N.,  to  Eaouf  Bey,  with  instructions 
not  to  mention  the  letters,  but  to  convey  the  following  order: 

"  Colonel  Raouf  Bey,  with  six  companies  of  troops,  to  be  un- 
der arms  at  2  a.m.,  to  await  me  at  head-quarters." 

Mr.  Higginbotham  had  the  entire  charge  of  the  vessels.  I 
ordered  three  noggurs  to  be  prepared,  together  with  one  small 
diahbeeah,  to  pass  the  troops  across  the  river  at  2  A.M. 

All  troops  and  sailors  were  to  take  two  days'  provisions.  I 
had  determined  to  push  straight  for  the  Bari  islands,  south  of 
Eegiaf  hill.  Should  I  be  able  to  procure  the  supply  of  corn  that 
I  expected,  it  would  at  once  checkmate  the  conspiracy. 

The  Baris  of  Eegiaf  and  south  of  that  hill  had  been  allied  with 
those  of  Belinian,  and  had  taken  charge  of  their  great  herds  dur- 
ing the  month's  campaign  in  that  country. 

We  started  punctually  at  the  time  appointed,  and  sailed  for 
about  seven  miles  up  the  river,  which  at  this  season  could  be 
navigated  without  difficulty.  We  now  crossed  over  to  the  west 
bank,  and  the  wind  being  foul,  the  soldiers  turned  out  and  hauled 
the  vessels  against  the  stream  by  tow-ropes. 

The  country  was  perfectly  lovely.  The  high,  rocky  hills,  a 
few  miles  distant,  sloped  in  beautiful  undulations  of  open,  park- 
like land  to  the  river's  bank.  Here  and  there  fine  ornamental 
trees  were  dotted  about  the  surface;  but  the  absence  of  forest 
would  have  rendered  the  locality  unfit  for  a  large  station. 

The  villages  w^ere  innumerable ;  but  there  was  not  a  sign  of 
friendship  among  the  numerous  population.  The  natives  poured 
out  of  their  various  stations,  leaping,  brandishing  their  spears, 
and  gesticulating  with  unmistakable  actions  of  hostility. 

The  river  was  about  five  hundred  yards  wide,  and  in  several 
places  the  dull,  gray  heads  of  rocks  protruded  from  the  surface. 
We  therefore  continued  to  tow  the  vessels  close  to  the  bank, 
with  a  party  marching  parallel  to  protect  the  flank  in  case  of  a 
sudden  attack. 

The  natives  evidently  intended  to  oppose  us.  I  always  gave 
the  Baris  a  fair  chance,  and  allowed  them  to  make  the  first  hos- 
tile move  before  I  proceeded  to  forcible  measures.  I  therefore 
landed  and  advanced  a  few  hundred  paces  inland.  There  were 
many  curious  rocks  in  this  neighborhood,  some  of  which  were 


198 


is  MA  I  LI  J. 


clean  blocks  of  granite  in  masses  of  forty  or  fifty  feet  high,  piled 
roughly,  as  though  arranged  artificially. 

The  natives,  as  we  advanced,  moved  gradually  toward  this 
shelter,  in  which  they  squatted  until  we  arrived  within  a  hun- 
dred and  twenty  paces.  My  interpreter  now  conversed  with 
them,  saying  that  I  had  not  come  to  fight,  but  to  purchase  corn, 
and  that  I  would  give  them  a  cow  for  each  googoo  full  of 
unthreshed  dhurra:  this  was  the  usual  price  when  the  natives 
traded  among  themselves. 

In  reply  to  this  polite  assurance,  they  used  most  insulting  lan- 
guage, and  said,  "  You  need  not  offer  us  your  cattle,  as  we  intend 
to  take  them  by  force ;  therefore,  be  off  to  Khartoum !" 

By  this  time  I  had  advanced  with  the  interpreter  to  within  a 
hundred  yards  of  them.  They  were  completely  in  my  power, 
but  I  resisted  the  temptation.  This  is  always  the  disadvantage 
in  treating  with  savages.  I  always  afforded  them  every  oppor- 
tunity for  peaceful  arrangements,  and  returned  civil  replies  to 
their  abusive  and  coarse  insults.  This  gave  them  the  advantage 
of  selecting  their  own  convenience  for  an  attack.  A  hundred 
times  I  have  had  them  in  my  grasp,  as  upon  this  occasion,  when 
a  well-directed  volley  would  have  created  a  terrible  effect ;  but 
I  have  always  been  patient,  and  allowed  them  to  strike  the  first 
blow. 

I  now  explained  to  them  my  position.  I  gave  them  the  in- 
stance of  their  friends  at  Belinian,  and  begged  them  to  avoid 
a  similar  necessity.  I  must  have  corn.  Their  granaries  were 
overflowing,  while  mine  were  empty.  I  had  many  thousand 
cattle,  in  addition  to  all  kinds  of  merchandise.  I  desired  fair 
dealing,  which  would  give  satisfaction  to  all  parties.  They  sim- 
ply shouted  a  derisive  reply,"  coupled  with  most  disgusting  and 
insulting  language. 

"Won't  you  have  a  shot,  sir,  at  that  fellow  on  the  rock?"  said 
my  shadow,  Monsoor,  who  was  always  at  my  elbow.  I  declined 
the  invitation,  to  the  great  disappointment  of  my  men ;  at  the 
same  time  I  explained  to  these  pig-headed  Baris  that  they  must 
accept  the  consequences  of  their  conduct. 

I  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  assembly. 

With  great  readiness  the  troops  left  the  vessels,  and  having 
formed,  they  marched  up  the  slope  with  drums  and  bugles.  I 
now  made  a  display  of  force,  and  once  more  addressed  the  na- 
tives, explaining  that  the  men  were  hungry,  and  would  take  their 
corn  gratis  unless  they  would  agree  to  sell  a  portion. 

The  natives  sullenly  withdrew  to  a  greater  distance,  and  com- 


ABUNDANCE  OF  CORN 


199 


menced  blowing  their  whistles,  and  making  a  peculiar  shrill  cry 
which  is  used  by  them  generally  in  derision  and  contempt  of  an 
enem}r.  The  last  words  we  distinguished,  as  they  increased  their 
distance,  were  a  threat  to  exterminate  us  during  the  night  if  we 
dared  to  remain  in  their  country. 

It  appeared  hopeless  to  attempt  a  peaceful  communication  with 
the  Baris.  This  portion  of  the  country  to  the  south  of  Kegiaf 
was  immensely  populous,  and  the  natives  were  more  dreaded  by 
the  slave-traders  than  any  other.  I  now  determined  to  examine 
some  of  the  villages. 

Having  extended  the  men  in  line  so  as  to  cover  about  half  a 
mile,  I  ordered  the  advance  toward  the  hill  of  Kegiaf,  with  strict 
orders  that  no  soldier  was  to  enter  a  hut;  but  they  were  sim- 
ply to  examine  the  villages  as  they  passed  through,  by  tapping 
the  numerous  wicker  googoos,  or  granaries,  with  their  hands,  to 
prove  whether  they  were  full.  These  neat  little  granaries  con- 
tained generally  about  forty  bushels,  but  they  varied  in  size: 
some  would  have  held  more  than  double  that  quantity. 

The  natives  watched  us  in  considerable  numbers  from  all 
points.  In  this  manner  we  examined  twenty  or  thirty  villages, 
each  of  which  contained  at  least  fifteen  googoos,  nearly  all  of 
which  were  quite  full  of  corn.  The  entire  country  was  over- 
flowing with  dhurra  and  sesame.  As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach 
were  innumerable  villages,  all  of  which  we  knew  were  stores  of 
abundance,  by  the  samples  we  had  already  examined. 

From  the  high  land  of  Kegiaf  we  looked  down  upon  a  long 
series  of  rich  islands  in  the  river,  that  appeared  to  be  nothing 
but  a  line  of  granaries,  as  I  could  distinguish  with  the  telescope 
the  numerous  clumps  of  googoos  and  small  villages  that  fringed 
the  fertile  banks  of  these  welcome  retreats. 

I  felt  as  the  Israelites  when  the  manna  and  the  quails  appeared 
in  the  desert.  Thank  God,  we  were  delivered  from  the  danger 
of  famine,  and  we  had  at  length  arrived  at  the  Promised  Land. 

The  "Forty  Thieves"  were  in  ecstasies.  Even  the  officers,  all 
of  whom  had  signed  the  declaration  "that  there  was  no  corn  in 
the  country,  therefore  they  must  return  to  Khartoum,"  looked 
delighted,  and  exclaimed  "  Mashallah  !" 

I  felt  the  relief,  for  I  had  suffered  much  anxiety;  but  outwardly 
I  took  it  very  coolly,  and  quite  as  a  matter  of  course.  I  explained 
to  the  officers  and  men  that  of  course  they  were  ignorant  of  the 
country,  but  that  if  they  relied  upon  me  I  should  ai\vays  lead 
them  ("  Inshallah !")  into  a  land  of  plenty.  The  black  officers 
now  began  to  exclaim,  "  Wah-Illai !  the  Pasha  knows  the  country 


200 


ISMAILlA. 


well !  Who  would  have  believed,  when  at  Gondokoro,  that  there 
was  corn  enough  for  a  couple  of  years. within  a  day's  march?" 

"A  couple  of  3^ears!"  cried  another;  "  we  couldn't  eat  this  corn 
in  ten  years!" 

"  We  might  drink  merissa  every  day  in  this  country,"  ex- 
claimed others  of  the  soldiers. 

Sailors  who  have  been  in  danger  of  shipwreck,  with  a  rocky 
shore  close  on  the  lee  in  a  heavy  gale,  may  understand  the  relief 
offered  by  a  sudden  shift  of  wind  in  the  moment  of  extremity. 
Such  experience  alone  can  allow  an  appreciation  of  the  mental 
reaction  after  a  great  strain  of  anxiety  that  I  had  suffered  for 
some  time  past. 

A  certain  knowledge  of  human  nature  determined  me  to  im- 
prove, without  a  moment's  delay,  the  opportunity,  while  the 
troops  were  under  the  first  impulse  of  astonishment  and  delight. 

I  addressed  myself  to  the  u  Forty  Thieves  "  in  particular,  and 
to  the  line  generally,  and  explained  "  the  pleasure  that  I  felt  in 
now  being  able  to  increase  their  rations  of  corn  that  had  been 
reduced  by  half.  At  the  same  time  I  had  been  much  dissatisfied 
with  the  small  collection  they  had  made  from  the  harvest  at  Be- 
linian.  I  knew  the  country,  and  this  was  the  only  true  granary 
that  admitted  of  river  transport  to  Gondokoro.  If  the}'  neglect- 
ed this  opportunity,  the  rations  would  again  be  reduced  ;  but 
upon  no  account  whatever  should  I  permit  the  return  to  Khar- 
toum of  any  officers  or  men,  except  those  who  could  present  a 
medical  certificate  of  chronic  bad  health.  I  should  thus  get  rid 
of  the  useless  mouths,  which  would  relieve  the  strong  men  from 
the  work  of  gathering  corn  to  feed  the  weak,  who  could  not  per- 
form their  share  of  the  labor." 

I  concluded  by  recommending  them  "to  thank  God,  and  set 
to  work  with  good-will." 

I  marched  my  men  to  several  villages  deserted  by  their  inhab- 
itants, which  I  occupied  in  force,  and  anchored  the  vessels  close 
to  the  bank  beneath  them.  Having  sent  for  Kaouf  Bey,  I  made 
no  other  remark  than  to  give  the  orders  necessary  for  the  night. 
This  melancholy  officer  looked  more  miserable  than  usual,  and 
his  expression  reminded  me  of  one  of  Dante's  damned  souls,  as 
illustrated  by  Gustave  Dore. 

The  sun  sank,  and  I  had  not  tasted  food  for  twenty -four  hours. 
I  was  without  my  wife,  therefore  I  was  not  very  particular ;  and 
my  good  Monsoor  having  foraged,  produced  some  pumpkin-soup, 
as  he  termed  it,  which  was  composed  of  a  very  watery  pumpkin 
boiled  in  water  without  salt.    The  next  dish  w7as  the  very  sim- 


START  FOR  GOXDOKORO. 


201 


pie  native  luxury  of  dhurra  flour  boiled  into  a  thick  porridge.  I 
was  very  hungry,  and  very  happy  ;  thus  I  ate  the  plain  fare  with 
a  good  appetite. 

Monsoor  had  made  a  fire  with  dry  cattle-dung,  and  spread  a 
native  mat  on  the  ground  close  to  the  smoke,  upon  which  I  could 
sleep,  if  the  mosquitoes  would  allow  me.  I  lay  as  close  to  the 
smoke  as  possible,  with,  a  comfortable  log  of  wood  for  a  pillow, 
and  pondered  over  the  events  of  the  day,  feeling  very  thankful 
for  the  change  of  circumstances,  and  making  plans  for  the  mor- 
row, until  I  fell  asleep. 

No  sooner  had  the  bugles  sounded  the  morning  call  than  I 
was  up  and  off.  I  instructed  Eaouf  Bey  to  take  a  company  of 
troops  with  the  vessels,  and  occupy  the  islands.  At  the  same 
time  I  marched  through  the  country  to  the  south ;  and  having 
passed  about  three  hours  in  exploration,  I  formed  two  stations  in 
excellent  positions,  and  divided  my  men  equally  under  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Achmet  and  Major  Abdullah.  These  stations  were 
about  a  mile  apart,  upon  high  ground,  and  commanded  a  view 
of  Eaouf  Bey's  vessels,  that  were  already  anchored  at  the  island 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  below  them.  The  three  positions  formed 
a  triangle,  in  the  very  heart  of  the  greatest  abundance. 

Having  concluded  these  arrangements  and  established  my  posi- 
tions, with  the  necessary  instructions  to  the  officers  in  command, 
I  returned  to  the  river,  and  prepared  to  start  for  Gondokoro  in 
the  little  dingy.  I  did  not  wish  to  take  a  large  vessel,  therefore 
I  ordered  Eaouf  Bey  to  fill  the  noggurs  with  corn  as  rapidly  as 
possible,  and  to  start  them  off,  when  full,  to  Gondokoro.  The 
granaries  on  the  islands  were  all  full,  and  close  to  the  banks ; 
therefore  the  vessels  lay  alongside,  as  though  in  a  dock,  and 
could  load  with  great  ease. 

I  started  in  the  dingy  with  two  boatmen  to  row,  accompanied 
by  Monsoor  and  two  soldiers  of  "  The  Forty." 

The  stream  ran  at  three  miles  and  a  half  per  hour:  thus,  with 
good  pulling,  we  reached  head-quarters  in  one  hour  and  thirty- 
two  minutes — a  distance  of  about  ten  miles  and  a  half. 

I  believe  it  is  common  to  human  nature  to  love  to  carry  good 
news.  The  sight  of  the  little  dingy  approaching  Gondokoro  alone 
had  given  rise  to  all  kinds  of  surmises,  and  when  I  reached  the 
shore,  a  crowd  of  officers,  soldiers,  sailors,  and  women  were  stand- 
ing in  expectation  upon  the  cliff.  My  men  immediately  recount- 
ed all  particulars. 

Great  was  the  joy  of  the  English  party  at  the  news  of  our  suc- 
cess.   This  flew  through  the  station,  and  the  Egyptian  officers 


802 


ISMAILlA. 


and  soldiers  slunk  away  ;  whereas  the  black  wives  of  the  Soudani 
regiment  were  delighted,  as  they  did  not  wish  to  go  to  Khartoum. 
These  women  were  slaves  that  I  had  liberated,  and  they  always 
imagined  that  if  they  should  arrive  at  Khartoum  they  would  be 
sold.  This  home  influence  was  of  service  to  me.  In  conversa- 
tion with  my  "  Forty  Thieves,"  I  had  suggested  that  perhaps  on 
their  arrival  at  Khartoum  the  government  might  not  permit 
them  to  retain  so  many  wives  in  the  regiment.  The  Soudanis 
are  always  happy  if  they  have  a  wife  and  plenty  to  eat  and  drink; 
therefore  Central  Africa  was  preferable  to  their  taste,  where  they 
could  enjoy  domestic  bliss  with  a  young  wife,  instead  of  sitting  in 
the  sultry  barracks  of  Khartoum  as  melancholy  bachelors. 

I  now  determined  to  devote  myself  specially  to  the  work  of 
collecting  corn.  I  therefore  placed  all  my  luggage  in  the  maga- 
zine, cleared  out  the  diahbeeah,  and  towed  her  up  stream  from 
my  little  station  to  head-quarters,  ready  to  start  on  the  following- 
day. 

On  October  17th  I  started  at  6  a.m.,  and  reached  the  island  at 
4  P.M.  There  I  found  Eaouf  Bey,  and  the  vessels  that  I  had  left 
in  his  charge.  He  had  only  occupied  one  island,  and  the  natives 
were  hard  at  work  carrying  off  their  corn  from  the  islands  to  the 
south.    I  immediately  sent  troops  to  take  possession. 

On  October  18th  I  sent  Eaouf  Bey  to  Gondokoro,  with  orders 
to  send  off  to  Khartoum  all  the  really  sick  and  incapable,  but 
upon  no  account  to  permit  any  man  to  return  unless  he  was 
hopelessly  invalided. 

On  October  13th,  having  noticed  that  the  stream  brought  down 
numerous  stems  of  dhurra,  I  concluded  that  cultivated  islands 
existed  farther  up  the  river.  I  therefore  instructed  Lieutenant 
Baker  to  sail  up  and  explore;  at  the  same  time  he  was  to  take 
possession  should  such  islands  be  discovered. 

On  the  21st  the  dingy  returned  with  a  letter  from  Lieutenant 
Baker,  who  had,  with  only  ten  men  of  "  The  Forty,"  driven  out 
the  enemy,  and  occupied  an  island,  rich  in  corn,  farther  south. 
The  dingy  had  been  attacked  on  her  way  by  the  Baris,  who  had 
shot  arrows,  all  of  which  had  fallen  short.  I  immediately  started 
with  my  diahbeeah  and  re-enforcements,  and  united  with  Lieu- 
tenant Baker.  I  had  now  three  large  islands  in  possession.  The 
fertility  of  the  soil  was  extraordinary.  The  cultivation  was  con- 
fined to  the  rim  or  sides  of  the  islands,  as  the  centre  was  swampy 
in  the  wet  seasons;  but  the  extreme  richness  of  the  soil  produced 
the  heaviest  crops,  and  the  granaries  were  full  throughout  the  very 
numerous  little  villages  that  were  stationed  around  the  islands. 


ATTACK  ON  MA  JOB  ABDULLAH. 


203 


Having  worked  for  twelve  days,  during  which  time  numerous 
vessels  had  enlivened  the  river  by  passing  to  and  fro,  heavily 
laden  with  corn,  between  our  granaries  and  Gondokoro,  I  re- 
ceived notice  from  the  main-land  that  the  work  of  the  two  sta- 
tions under  Lieutenant-colonel  Achmet  and  Major  Abdullah  was 
concluded.  Achmet  had  threshed  out  all  his  corn,  and  was  wait- 
ing for  boats  to  convey  it;  and  Abdullah  had  shipped  all  that  he 
had  collected,  and  was  waiting  for  orders. 

I  sent  instructions  that  Abdullah  should  march  his  detachment 
along  the  main-land  toward  the  south,  and  occupy  the  villages 
on  the  high  land  exactly  opposite  my  vessels.  The  country  was 
beautifully  open,  like  a  fine  park,  in  long,  rolling  undulations, 
which  terminated  in  rocky  hills  about  four  or  five  miles  from  the 
river. 

On  October  24th,  having  loaded  a  line  of  vessels  that  lay 
alongside  the  island  as  snugly  as  though  by  an  artificial  quay. 
I  was  amusing  myself,  together  with  Lieutenant  Baker,  in  shoot- 
ing ducks,  which  swarmed  in  the  neighboring  ponds  and  swamps. 
At  about  4.30  p.m.  I  heard  rapid  file-firing  in  the  distance,  and  I 
concluded  that  Major  Abdullah's  detachment,  that  was  hourly 
expected,  was  attacked  by  the  natives.  I  at  once  returned  to  the 
diahbeeah,  where  my  wife  was  stationed  on  the  high  poop-deck, 
having  a  good  view  of  a  very  pretty  little  engagement. 

The  troops  were  about  a  mile  distant;  and  while  steadily  on 
the  march  according  to  my  instructions,  they  were  suddenly  at- 
tacked by  the  natives  in  great  force.  This  was  a  fair  stand-up 
fight  in  the  open.  The  big  drums  and  horns  were  sounding 
throughout  the  country,  and  the  natives  were  pouring  from  all 
directions  to  the  battle. 

The  white  uniforms  of  the  soldiers  formed  a  strong  contrast  to 
the  black  figures  of  the  native  Baris ;  thus  we  could  see  the  af- 
fair distinctly.  We  could  also  hear  the  orders  given  by  the  bugle. 

Major  Abdullah  had  prudently  secured  his  rear  by  the  occu- 
pation of  one  of  the  small  villages,  fortified  by  a  hedge  of  impen- 
etrable euphorbia.  He  then  threw  out  skirmishers  in  line,  sup- 
ported by  the  force  that  held  the  village.  The  natives  were  yell- 
ing in  all  directions,  and  I  never  before  saw  them  make  such  a 
good  fight  upon  the  open  ground.  They  not  only  outflanked, 
but  entirely  surrounded  Abdullah's  detachment  of  ninety  men. 
The  troops  were  keeping  up  a  heavy  fire,  which  did  not  appear 
to  produce  any  decided  result,  as  the  natives  thronged  to  the 
fight,  and  advanced  close  up  to  the  fire  of  the  soldiers,  whom 
they  attacked  with  bows  and  arrows. 


t>04 


ISMAIL  Li. 


I  ordered  our  solitary  field-piece  to  be  dismounted,  and  placed 
in  the  large  rowing-boat,  together  with  a  rocket-trough,  and  the 
requisite  ammunition,  in  readiness  to  support  Abdullah  with  a 
flank  attack  upon  the  natives  by  crossing  the  river,  should  it  be 
necessary.  As  our  vessels  were  in  close  view,  I  waited  for  the 
signal  by  bugle,  should  Abdullah  require  assistance. 

I  had  only  twenty-two  men  of  the  "Forty  Thieves"  with  me, 
together  with  the  eight  artillerymen  belonging  to  the  gun.  The 
remainder  of  "  The  Forty"  were  holding  the  second  island,  about 
four  miles  in  our  rear. 

Just  before  dark  I  noticed  that  the  Baris  were  giving  way ; 
they  had  evidently  suffered  some  loss,  which  caused  a  sudden  re- 
treat. I  heard  the  bugle  sound  "the  advance,"  and  we  could  see 
the  troops  advancing  and  firing  in  pursuit.  The  Baris  ceased 
blowing  their  horns,  and  collected  in  dense  bodies  at  a  great 
distance  from  the  troops,  who  had  halted,  and  now  held  the  po- 
sition. 

Only  occasional  shots  were  now  fired,  and  the  sun  having  set, 
darkness  gradually  dissolved  the  view. 

I  fully  expected  that  the  Baris  would  renew  the  attack  during 
the  night ;  but  I  knew  that  Abdullah  was  safe  in  his  strong  po- 
sition within  a  village,  surrounded  by  the  high  and  dense  hedge 
of  euphorbia,  whose  thick,  fleshy  branches  are  the  best  protec- 
tion against  arrows.  I  ordered  the  boat  with  the  gun  to  remain 
in  readiness,  so  as  to  start  at  a  moment's  notice  should  we  hear 
firing  renewed  during  the  night.  I  should  then  be  able  to  land 
the  gun,  and  take  them  unexpectedly  on  the  flank  with  case-shot. 

Morning  broke  without  any  night  alarm.  I  had  filled  the  ves- 
sels with  the  last  of  the  corn  upon  the  island,  therefore  I  deter- 
mined to  cross  over  with  my  force,  and  to  meet  the  detachment 
under  Major  Abdullah.  This  was  not  easy  to  accomplish,  as 
there  were  some  awkward  sand-banks  in  the  middle  of  the  riv- 
er. It  was  therefore  necessary  to  pass  up  stream  between  two 
islands,  and  then,  by  rounding  the  head  of  a  point,  to  descend 
through  a  channel  about  a  hundred  yards  wide  between  the 
western  island  and  the  main -land.  This  occupied  about  an 
hour,  and  we  dropped  down  the  channel  and  took  up  an  excel- 
lent position  against  a  high  shore  that  formed  a  convenient  land- 
ing-place. From  this  point  the  land  rose  rapidly,  and  the  entire 
landscape  was  covered  with  villages  abounding  in  corn.  The 
natives  appeared  to  have  deserted  the  country. 

Having  given  the  necessary  orders,  I  took  my  shot-gun,  and. 
accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker,  Monsoor,  and  two  soldiers  of 


THE  POSITION  EVACUATED. 


205 


"The  Forty,"  I  walked  along  the  river's  bank  toward  the  village 
occupied  by  Major  Abdullah's  detachment,  who  I  imagined  might 
have  found  a  large  quantity  of  corn,  which  accounted  for  their 
delay  in  commencing  the  morning  march. 

There  were  great  numbers  of  ducks  and  geese  on  the  rivers 
bank;  thus  as  we  walked  toward  Abdullah's  village,  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  distant,  we  made  a  tolerable  bag. 

We  had  at  length  arrived  within  half  a  mile  of  the  village, 
which  was  situated  upon  high  ground  about  six  hundred  yards 
from  the  river,  when  I  noticed  a  number  of  people  issuing  from 
the  village  carrying  large  baskets  upon  their  heads. 

"  The  soldiers  have  found  plenty  of  corn,"  remarked  Monsoor ; 
"they  are  carrying  it  from  the  googoos." 

My  eyes  were  better  than  Monsoor's.  I  at  once  perceived  that 
the  people  thus  employed  were  Baris! 

We  were  only  five  guns,  now  separated  from  our  vessels  by 
about  a  mile,  and  the  troops  under  Major  Abdullah  had  evident- 
ly evacuated  their  position. 

Where  upon  earth  had  they  gone,  and  for  what  reason?  Cer- 
tainly we  had  the  river  on  our  right  flank,  but  we  might  have 
been  attacked  and  cut  off  from  our  vessels,  had  the  Baris  the 
pluck  to  assume  the  offensive. 

It  was  time  to  retreat;  but  as  I  wished  the  Baris  to  believe 
that  we  felt  quite  at  our  ease,  we  accomplished  the  move  very 
leisurely,  and  strolled  quietly  homeward,  shooting  ducks  and 
snipe  as  we  walked  along. 

The  moment  I  arrived  at  the  vessels  I  dispatched  a  party  in 
the  steamer's  large  boat,  under  Captain  Mohammed  Deii,  of  the 
"Forty  Thieves,"  to  row  down  the  river,  and  to  recall  Abdul- 
lah's detachment,  that  must  have  retreated  for  some  inconceiva- 
ble reason.  The  current  ran  at  nearly  four  miles  per  hour;  thus 
the  boat  would  be  sure  to  overtake  them. 

I  was  exceedingly  annoyed.  A  force  of  ninety  men  had  evi- 
dently been  cowed  by  their  engagement  with  the  natives  on  the 
previous  evening,  and  had  retreated  upon  Lieutenant- colonel 
Achmet's  position,  instead  of  joining  me  according  to  orders.  At 
the  same  time  my  vessels  had  been  in  sight  only  a  mile  and  a 
half  distant!  I  was  thus  left  with  a  small  party  of  thirty  men, 
while  ninety  men  had  fallen  back. 

This  was  an  example  of  the  utter  helplessness  of  the  officers 
and  men  when  left  to  themselves.  If  the  natives  had  repeated 
the  attack,  they  would  most  probably  have  got  into  dire  con- 
fusion. 

16 


20(] 


TSMAILlA. 


Having  started  the  boat,  I  took  ten  men  of  "The  Forty,"  and, 
accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker,  I  marched  along  the  bank  in 
order  to  meet  the  detachment  on  their  return,  when  recalled  by 
Mohammed  Deii.  During  the  march  I  continued  to  shoot  ducks, 
as  this  amusement  would  deceive  the  natives  respecting  the  re- 
treat of  Major  Abdullah,  which  might  then  be  attributed  to  some 
other  cause  than  fear. 

In  about  an  hour  I  distinguished  a  sail  coming  round  the  point 
of  Gebel  (Mount)  Kegiaf.  The  wind  was  fair,  and  she  quickly 
ran  up  the  stream.  I  now  discovered  that  she  was  towing  the 
boat  that  I  had  sent  down  the  river  to  recall  Abdullah's  detach- 
ment. 

Upon  her  near  approach,  I  hailed  the  vessel  and  ordered  her 
to  land  the  troops  (with  which  she  was  crowded)  upon  the  west 
shore. 

In  a  short  time  Major  Abdullah  and  his  gallant  company  had 
landed  and  formed  in  line. 

His  excuse  for  the  precipitate  retreat  which  he  had  commenced 
at  day-break  was,  that  he  feared  a  renewed  attack,  and  he  was 
short  of  ammunition.  He  had  therefore  determined  to  fall  back 
on  the  station  occupied  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Achmet. 

He  appeared  to  have  forgotten  that  he  could  have  communi- 
cated with  me  by  bugle. 

I  inspected  the  men's  pouches,  and  found  that  most  of  them 
had  eighteen  or  twenty  rounds  of  cartridge,  while  the  minimum 
contained  eleven  rounds:  this  is  what  the  major  considered  a 
short  supply  of  ammunition  for  a  march  of  a  mile  and  a  half 
along  beautiful  open  country  to  my  vessels. 

He  described  the  overwhelming  number  of  the  natives,  and 
their  extreme  bravery  in  the  attack,  which  his  troops  had  repelled 
without  any  loss  to  themselves  of  either  killed  or  wounded.  At 
the  same  time  the  troops  under  his  command  had  killed  twenty 
Baris,  whose  bodies  he  had  himself  counted. 

I  now  ordered  them  to  advance  to  the  village,  as  I  wished  to 
examine  the  position.  Upon  arrival  at  the  spot  where  the  battle 
had  taken  place,  there  were  a  number  of  vultures  settled  in  vari- 
ous spots  where  the  ground  was  marked  with  blood,  and  the  clean- 
ly-picked skeleton  of  a  man,  lying  close  to  the  euphorbia  hedge, 
showed  that  the  Baris  had  really  come  to  close  quarters. 

The  natives  had  carried  off  their  dead,  with  the  exception  of 
the  body  that  had  been  cleaned  by  the  vultures;  this  must  have 
been  a  stranger  who  had  no  friends,  as  the  Baris  are  very  partic- 
ular in  the  interment  of  their  people. 


MILITARY  ARRANGEMENTS. 


20? 


I  now  marched  my  men  along  the  high  ground  toward  the 
south,  and  examined  the  numerous  habitations,  until  I  arrived  at 
a  little  colony  comprising  six  villages,  all  of  which  were  full  of 
corn.  Here  I  left  Major  Abdullah  and  his  detachment,  with  or- 
ders to  collect  all  the  dhurra  from  the  neighboring  villages,  and 
to  form  a  central  depot  at  his  present  station,  after  which  the  corn 
could  be  threshed  out  and  carried  to  the  vessels.  I  stationed  a 
noggur  by  the  bank  exactly  opposite  his  position  about  half  a 
mile  distant. 

The  natives  had  abandoned  the  neigborhood,  and  hundreds  of 
villages  remained  without  an  inhabitant. 

On  November  3d  I  sent  off  vessels  heavily  laden  with  corn  to 
Gondokoro,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Baker,  with  in- 
structions that  the  detachment  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Achmet 
should  join  me  as  soon  as  possible,  and  that  empty  vessels  should 
at  once  be  sent  to  my  corn  depot. 

Qn  November  4th  I  sent  fifteen  of  the  "Forty  Thieves"  to  the 
south,  where  I  had  discovered  large  quantities  of  corn  in  the  vil- 
lages that  had  been  until  now  undisturbed.  To  arrive  at  these 
villages,  it  was  necessary  to  pass  over  very  high  ground,  which 
obscured  them  from  our  view  when  on  the  diahbeeah. 

My  men  had  built  themselves  huts,  and  had  formed  a  nice  little 
camp  on  the  hard,  stony  bank,  close  to  the  spot  where  my  diah- 
beeah and  other  vessels  lay  alongside.  My  horses  were  picketed 
in  the  centre,  and  we  had  transported  and  erected  a  great  number 
of  granaries,  which  I  had  filled  with  cleanly -threshed  corn,  to 
await  the  arrival  of  the  return  vessels  from  Gondokoro. 

I  was  superintending  the  arrangements  of  the  camp,  when  my 
attention  was  attracted  by  exceedingly  steady  firing  in  single 
shots  at  a  distance  in  the  direction  taken  by  my  small  party  of 
"  The  Fort}7."  Nothing  could  be  seen,  owing  to  the  high  ground 
on  the  south. 

I  immediately  ordered  my  horse,  and,  accompanied  by  Monsoor 
and  three  soldiers  of  "  The  Forty,"  I  rode  at  a  trot  toward  the 
direction  of  the  firing.  I  had  left  a  small  guard  with  the  boats, 
as  nearly  all  the  men  were  absent  in  the  interior  collecting  the 
dhurra. 

After  riding  for  about  a  mile  and  a  half  over  high  ground 
covered  with  fine  turf,  from  the  summit  of  which  I  had  a  beauti- 
ful view  of  the  undulating  country  before  me,  with  the  White 
Nile  flowing  through  the  valley  and  high  mountains  in  the  dis- 
tance, I  came  suddenly  upon  a  village,  where  I  observed  two  of 
my  "Forty"  mounted  as  sentries  upon  the  summits  of  the  tallest 


ISMAILlA. 


huts.  A  little  in  advance  of  this  position  I  found  the  remainder 
of  my  party,  who  were  taking  long  shots  at  the  negroes  after  the 
most  approved  method  of  target  practice.  It  appeared  that  they 
had  been  suddenly  attacked,  but  the  sentries  on  the  house-tops 
had  given  timely  warning. 

There  could  not  have  been  a  more  suitable  country  for  rifle- 
practice,  as  it  was  completely  open  and  almost  devoid  of  trees. 
The  fine,  swelling  undulations  were  intersected  with  deep  rocky 
ravines  at  right  angles  to  the  river,  which  after  heavy  rains 
brought  down  the  torrents  from  the  mountains. 

My  arrival  on  the  summit  on  a  white  horse,  attended  only  by 
Monsoor  and  three  soldiers,  was  a  signal  for  a  great  blowing  of 
horns  and  beating  of  drums.  Immense  numbers  of  natives  were 
to  be  seen  in  all  parts  of  the  view  before  us.  They  ran  eagerly 
from  their  villages,  and  collected  from  every  quarter,  evidently 
bent  upon  a  fight  with  my  little  party. 

I  ordered  my  men  to  cease  firing,  as  they  were  wasting  their 
ammunition  uselessly,  and  destroying  the  prestige  of  the  rifles  by 
missing  at  long  ranges. 

I  ordered  a  general  advance  in  open  order,  about  four  yards 
apart;  thus  twenty  men  covered  a  line  of  about  seventy -six 
paces.  This  front,  with  the  men  in  scarlet  uniform,  made  a  tol- 
erable show.  I  rode  at  the  head  on  a  very  beautiful  Arab, 
"Greedy  Gray,"  that  was  the  most  perfect  of  all  the  horses  I  had 
brought  from  Egypt — excelling  in  breed,  speed,  beauty,  and  tem- 
per. He  was  very  powerful,  and  would  stand  the  fire  of  heavy 
guns  without  flinching. 

My  little  company  marched  forward  in  quick  time.  This  was 
a  signal  for  a  chorus  of  }^ells  upon  all  sides ;  the  big  drums 
sounded  louder  than  before,  and  the  horns  of  the  Baris  bellowed 
in  every  direction. 

Great  numbers  of  natives  now  advanced  with  their  bows  and 
arrows,  gesticulating  and  leaping  from  side  to  side  in  their  usual 
manner,  so  as  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  a  steady  aim. 

As  yet,  they  were  about  six  hundred  yards  distant,  and  I  con- 
tinued the  march  forward  as  though  no  enemy  were  present.  As 
we  descended  a  ravine  and  marched  up  the  next  incline,  I  found 
that  the  natives  retired  over  the  next  undulation.  Their  line  of 
front  occupied  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter,  while  we  occupied  at 
the  most  eighty  paces. 

Having  marched  about  a  mile  without  firing  a  shot,  and  find- 
ing that  the  natives  invariably  fell  back  as  we  advanced,  at  the 
same  time  that  they  kept  the  same  interval  between  us,  I  at  once 


FEIGNED  EE  IRE  AT. 


209 


understood  their  tactics.  It  was  now  five  o'clock  ;  the  sun  would 
set  within  an  hour,  and  their  intention  was  to  draw  us  forward 
until  darkness  would  reduce  the  power  of  the  rifles.  They  would 
then  be  able  to  surround  us,  and  very  possibly  overpower  our 
little  force  during  our  retreat  to  the  vessels  in  the  dark. 

I  halted  my  men,  and  explained  to  them  the  Baris's  dodge. 
I  now  ordered  the  retreat  after  this  manner:  we  should  hurry 
down  hill  and  march  quickly  up  the  next  undulation,  so  as  to 
deceive  the  enemy  with  the  idea  of  a  precipitate  retreat.  This 
would  induce  an  advance  on  their  side.  The  Baris  would  be  cer- 
tain to  follow  us  at  full  speed  if  they  supposed  we  were  afraid  of 
them. 

It  was  my  intention  to  cross  rapidly  the  first  undulation,  where 
my  men  would  for  a  few  minutes  be  out  of  view  of  the  enemy, 
and  there  to  conceal  them  in  a  deserted  village  which  I  had  no- 
ticed during  our  advance.  This  would  be  an  ambush  that  would 
take  the  Baris  by  surprise,  as  they  would  imagine  that  we  had 
passed  ahead  :  they  would  therefore  come  near  the  village. 

The  order  to  the  "right  about"  was  given,  and  my  men,  who 
took  a  keen  interest  in  the  plan,  commenced  so  precipitate  a 
march  down  the  hill  that  my  horse  was  forced  into  a  jog-trot.  I 
heard  the  savage  yells  of  the  enemy,  who,  as  I  had  expected, 
now  followed  us  with  the  hope  of  cutting  off  our  retreat  to  the 
vessels. 

We  crossed  the  dry,  rocky  bed  of  the  torrent  in  the  bottom, 
and  ascended  the  hill-face  rapidly.  Looking  back,  I  saw  the  na- 
tives running  at  full  speed  in  pursuit.  They  began  to  descend 
the  hill  just  as  we  had  crossed  the  summit  of  the  high  ground ; 
thus  they  lost  sight  of  us,  as  we  quickly  concealed  ourselves  be- 
hind the  huts  and  granaries  of  a  deserted  village.  I  hid  my 
horse  behind  a  hut,  and  the  men,  having  surrounded  the  position, 
crouched  low  on  the  ground  behind  the  most  convenient  cover. 

Unfortunately,  the  natives,  who  were  on  the  high  ground  on 
our  right  flank  as  we  faced  about,  perceived  the  snare,  and  en- 
deavored to  give  the  alarm  by  blowing  upon  their  whistles  of  an- 
telope's horn. 

This  was  either  misunderstood  or  unheeded  by  the  enemy  in 
our  rear,  who  quickly  made  their  appearance. 

I  had  ordered  my  men  to  reserve  their  fire,  and  not  to  expend 
any  ammunition  until  the  command  should  be  given.  My  good 
Monsoor  was  to  reload  for  me,  and  I  borrowed  a  Snider  rifle  from 
a  soldier.  I  rested  the  "  Dutchman  "  against  the  googoo,  or  wick- 
er granary,  behind  which  I  was  concealed. 


•210 


ISMAIL'tA. 


The  natives  on  our  right  flank  now  passed  forward,  which 
would  bring  them  in  our  rear.  At  the  same  time  those  in  our 
front  appeared  in  very  loose  and  open  order,  evidently  looking 
for  us  in  all  directions. 

I  observed  a  man  painted  red,  like  a  stick  of  sealing-wax,  with 
large  ivory  bracelets  upon  his  arms.  This  fellow  was  in  advance, 
and  he  ascended  a  small  ant-hill  to  obtain  a  better  view. 

Monsoor  whispered,  "  That's  the  sheik ;"  at  the  same  time  I 
had  taken  a  rest  with  the  rifle  as  I  knelt  down  by  the  googoo 
stand. 

A  puff  of  smpke  and  the  sharp  crack  of  the  rifle  startled  the 
enemy,  as  the  red  sheik  rolled  over.  The  yells  increased  on  all 
sides,  the  whistles  of  the  antelopes'  horns  now  sounded  a  shrill 
alarm,  during  which  the  red  sheik  recovered  his  legs  and  vainly 
attempted  a  dance  of  defiance.  The  leading  Baris  shot  off  their 
arrows,  but  they  fell  short. 

In  the  mean  time  my  men  had  remained  motionless.  Con- 
cealment was  now  useless;  I  therefore  threw  off  the  cover  of  a 
googoo,  into  which  excellent  position  I  had  climbed,  while  Mon- 
soor stood  upon  the  frame-work  to  hand  me  a  spare  rifle. 

The  circular  googoo,  raised  three  feet  from  the  ground,  afford- 
ed a  splendid  lookout.  In  this  I  could  turn  and  fire  in  every 
direction,  like  a  pivot-gun  on  a  martello  tower. 

The  red  sheik  was  now  about  two  hundred  yards  distant,  and 
was  gesticulating  to  his  people,  who  were  evidently  shy  of  closing 
with  our  position.  A  shot  from  the  googoo  struck  him  through 
the  body,  and  he  staggered  and  fell,  never  to  rise  again. 

A  few  natives  made  a  rush  forward  to  recover  him.  One  im- 
mediately fell  at  a  shot  from  the  googoo ;  but  recovering  himself 
like  a  cat,  he  staggered  down  the  hill.  Another  quick  shot  from 
the  googoo  cracked  upon  the  body  of  a  native,  who  was  caught 
in  the  arms  of  his  comrades  and  dragged  away  as  they  precipi- 
tately retreated  in  all  directions  from  the  dangerous  locality. 

My  men  now  begged  me  to  allow  them  to  charge  and  to  cap- 
ture the  man,  who  was  endeavoring  to  escape.  I  gave  them 
leave,  and  a  body  of  fifteen  dashed  out  in  pursuit,  with  loud 
yells,  after  the  retreating  natives.  For  about  a  minute  the  na- 
tives faced  them  and  shot  their  arrows,  but  the  gallant  fifteen 
coolly  knelt  upon  the  clear  ground,  and  taking  steady  rests  upon 
their  knees,  opened  a  fire  that  wounded  one  man,  who  was  im- 
mediately supported  by  his  fellows,  and  drove  the  enemy  before 
them.  The  fifteen  immediately  charged  forward  and  bayoneted 
a  fugitive,  and  returned  with  his  bow  and  arrows  in  triumph. 


TEE  SNIDER  lilELES. 


211 


The  enemy  bad  quickly  the  worst  of  it.  They  were  now 
standing  in  all  directions  at  distances  varying  from  four  hundred 
to  one  thousand  paces.  Many  of  them  were  actually  in  our  rear; 
but  I  noticed  that  these  fellows  were  already  opening  to  the  right 
and  left,  as  though  they  faltered  in  their  determination  to  resist 
our  retreat  to  the  vessels. 

I  determined  to  follow  up  the  first  advantage.  I  therefore 
ordered  my  men  to  hand  me  their  rifles  as  quickly  as  I  required 
them,  and  I  opened  fire  in  all  directions  from  my  elevated  posi- 
tion. 

Having  set  the  sights  for  four  hundred  yards,  I  took  them  first, 
and  continued  until  the  country  was  perfectly  cleared  of  an  ene- 
my up  to  one  thousand  paces. 

The  ground  was  dry  and  dusty;  thus  each  bullet  marked  its 
hit  as  the  puff*  of  dust  rose  from  the  earth  like  a  jet  of  smoke. 

Some  of  the  enemy  were  knocked  over  at  very  long  ranges; 
others  were  so  scared  by  the  close  practice,  as  the  bullets  either 
struck  the  ground  at  their  feet  or  pinged  close  to  their  ears,  that 
they  cleared  off  as  quickly  as  possible.  Their  noisy  drums  had 
ceased,  and  suddenly  I  perceived  a  general  skedaddle,  as  those 
upon  our  right  flank  started  off  in  full  speed,  shouting  and  yell- 
ing Xo  alarm  the  rest.  I  now  distinguished  a  body  of  troops  hur- 
rying at  the  double  down  the  hill-side  in  the  distance.  These 
were  commanded  by  an  active  Soudani  officer  (lieutenant)  who 
had  been  in  Mexico  under  Marshal  Bazaine.  He  had  heard  the 
firing  as  he  was  returning  with  his  day's  collection  of  corn  to  the 
vessels;  he  had  therefore  dropped  the  corn,  and  hurried  on  with 
his  party  to  our  support. 

I  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  retreat;  and  having  joined 
forces,  we  marched  without  further  opposition. 

We  reached  the  diahbeeah  and  my  little  camp  about  half  an 
hour  after  dark. 


212 


ISM  A  ILIA. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

VESSELS  RETURN  TO  KHARTOUM. 

On  November  6th,  1871.  Lieutenant  Baker  returned  from  Gon- 
dokoro  with  four  noggurs,  and  the  entire  detachment  of  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Achmet.    The  news  was  as  follows: 

After  the  departure  of  Major  Abdullah,  the  natives  had  at- 
tacked the  eamp  of  Colonel  Achmet,  and  had  wounded  him  in 
the  back  with  a  barbed  arrow,  which  had  to  be  cut  out.  Another 
arrow  had  passed  through  the  heart  of  his  servant,  killing  him  on 
the  spot.  Several  soldiers  had  been  wounded,  but  not  seriously. 
The  corn  had  been  delivered  from  his  station  to  the  magazines  at 
Gondokoro. 

On  November  3d  thirty  vessels  had  left  Gondokoro  for  Khar- 
toum, taking  about  one  thousand  one  hundred  people,  including 
children,  women,  sailors,  soldiers,  and  invalids. 

In  spite  of  my  positive  orders  that  none  but  the  really  sick 
should  be  sent  to  Khartoum,  Raouf  Bey  had  in  my  absence  sent 
away  great  numbers  of  troops  who  were  in  sound  health;  thus 
reducing  the  entire  force  of  the  expedition  to  five  hundred  and 
two  officers  and  men,  including  buglers,  drummers,  clerks,  etc., 
with  fifty-two  sailors. 

Thus  an  expedition  that  should  have  comprised  one  thousand 
six  hundred  and  forty-five  men  was  reduced  to  so  insignificant  a 
force  that  it  appeared  impossible  to  proceed  into  the  interior.  The 
Baris  were  at  war  with  us;  the  slave-hunters'  companies  were 
treacherous;  and  yet  I  was  to  suppress  the  slave-trade,  and  annex 
the  equatorial  districts  with  less  than  one-third  of  the  force  re- 
quired. 

Abou  Saood  had  apparently  gained  his  point,  and  the  expedi- 
tion was  paralyzed.  It  was  considered  that  with  so  small  a  force 
I  could  not  travel  far  from  head-quarters:  thus,  as  my  term  of 
service  would  expire  on  April  1st,  1873, 1  had  only  one  year  and 
four  months  remaining,  and  in  this  short  time  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  accomplish  my  object. 

In  the  dreadful  state  of  the  river  it  was  impossible  to  speculate 
upon  the  arrival  of  re-enforcements  from  Khartoum.  Our  cut- 
tings and  canals  in  the  Bahr  Giraffe  might  have  closed  up,  or  they 
might  have  improved  ;  of  this  we  were  ignorant. 


FORCE  REDUCED. 


213 


I  had  sent  off  mv  letters  to  England,  also  those  to  the  Khedive, 
complaining  of  the  conspiracy  of  the  officers,  and  inclosing  the 
documents.  At  the  same  time  I  had  impressed  upon  his  high- 
ness the  imperative  necessity  of  opening  the  channel  of  the  great 
White  Nile  without  delay. 

I  had  written  to  Djiaffer  Pasha  for  re-en forcements-  to  be  sent 
from  Khartoum  immediately,  together  with  a  large  supply  of 
d  hurra. 

I  had  very  little  hope  of  receiving  any  thing  from  the  Soudan. 
It  was  therefore  necessary  to  make  my  arrangements  for  the  fu- 
ture, independently  of  all  extraneous  assistance.  "With  five  hun- 
dred and  two  officers  and  men,  and  fifty-two  armed  sailors,  I  had 
to  accomplish  the  work ;  that  was  the  actual  position. 

The  force  at  present  with  me  consisted  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty-one  officers  and  men  ;  thus  I  had  exactly  half  of  the  troops. 
Gondokoro  was  well  fortified,  and  the  Belinians  had  been  thor- 
oughly cowed,  therefore  I  had  nothing  to  fear  in  that  quarter. 

I  had  more  than  filled  one  of  the  great  magazines  with  corn : 
therefore,  including  the  dhurra  now  on  board  several  vessels,  I 
had  more  than  twelve  months'  supply  for  the  expedition.  This 
was  a  great  blessing. 

Although  my  force  was  terribly  reduced  in  numbers,  the  men 
who  remained  were  strong  and  healthy.  I  did  not  despair;  but 
I  determined  that  this  reduction  of  military  force  should  not 
paralyze  the  activity  of  the  expedition,  and  that,  in  spite  of 
every  intrigue,  I  would  succeed  in  the  main  objects  of  the  en- 
terprise; the  slave-trade  should  be  suppressed,  and  the  territory 
should  be  annexed  to  the  equator,  with  God's  help. 

On  November  10th  I  took  a  hundred  and  fifty  men,  in  order 
to  make  a  reconnaissance  of  the  country  at  the  last  cataracts  of 
the  White  Nile,  about  six  miles  south  of  our  position. 

We  started  early,  and  marched  along  the  high  ground  parallel 
with  the  river,  passing  the  spot  where  the  natives  had  attacked 
us  some  days  previous.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  beauty  of 
this  country  as  an  agricultural  settlement.  The  long,  sloping  un- 
dulations were  ornamented  with  innumerable  villages,  in  all  of 
which  were  overflowing  granaries.  On  arrival  at  the  dry  bed 
of  a  broad  stream,  we  ascended  a  slope,  and  to  my  astonishment 
I  noticed  a  considerable  body  of  natives,  who  neither  ran  away 
nor  appeared  hostile  in  their  demeanor.    Leaving  my  rifle  with 


*  These  re-enforcements  were  thirteen  months  actually  on  the  river  from  Khar- 
toum to  Gondokoro,  and  they  only  arrived  at  the  close  of  the  expedition. 


ismailLl 


Monsoor,  I  rode  up  within  fifty  yards  of  them,  apparently  un- 
armed, but  I  bad  a  pair  of  breach -loading  pistols  in  my  hol- 
sters. 

My  Bari  interpreter,  Morgian,  now  explained  that  I  was  only 
on  an  exploration,  and  that  I  had  no  intention  of  disturbing  their 
property;  I  only  desired  to  communicate  with  their  sheik. 

For  the  first  time  I  received  a  civil  answer  from  the  Baris. 
They  explained,  that  although  they  were  Baris  they  had  no  con- 
nection with  the  people  who  had  fought  us.  They  were  govern- 
ed by  a  great  sheik  named  Bedden,  whose  territory  was  bound- 
ed by  the  torrent-bed  that  we  had  just  crossed.  They  promised 
that  he  should  pay  me  a  visit  on  the  morrow :  in  the  mean  time, 
if  we  required  any  corn,  they  would  supply  us.  This  was  a  po- 
liteness to  which  I  was  quite  unaccustomed.  I  therefore  thanked 
them,  but  declined  their  offer,  sajnng  that  I  wanted  nothing  from 
them  except  friendship. 

I  now  discovered  that  these  people  had  never  had  any  com- 
munication with  the  slave-traders,  who  were  afraid  to  molest  so 
powerful  a  tribe. 

At  parting,  I  gave  them  a  white  handkerchief,  as  a  signal  to 
our  sentries  when  they  should  arrive. 

We  then  returned  to  our  station,  the  troops  sharing  the  satis- 
faction that  I  felt  in  having  at  length  discovered  friends. 

On  the  following  day,  at  about  3  p.m.,  the  sentry  on  the  hill 
called  to  the  guard  that  a  very  large  body  of  natives  was  ap- 
proaching the  station. 

I  presumed  that  these  were  the  followers  of  Bedden.  I  there- 
fore ascended  the  slope  and  examined  them  with  the  telescope. 

My  suspicions  were  aroused  from  the  extraordinary  number 
of  people ;  at  least  seven  hundred  natives  were  accompanying 
their  sheik. 

I  returned  to  camp,  and  made  arrangements  to  receive  his  visit 
with  a  guard  of  honor.  I  drew  up  a  hundred  men  in  line  paral- 
lel with  the  river  about  fifty  yards  from  the  bank,  near  the  bow 
of  my  diahbeeah.  Fifty  men  were  in  line  at  right  angles  with 
the  river:  thus  the  lines  formed  two  sides  of  a  square. 

In  the  front  of  the  line  I  placed  the  field-piece  loaded  with 
canister-shot.  I  intended  to  receive  Bedden  with  due  honor  in 
the  hollow  square  thus  protected.  In  the  event  of  treachery,  his 
force  could  be  almost  annihilated  by  one  discharge. 

The  hill  sentry  now  reported  the  arrival  of  a  messenger,  who 
waved  a  white  handkerchief  on  the  end  of  a  bamboo.  This  was 
the  signal  agreed  upon,  and  the  messenger  was  allowed  to  pass. 


GRAY  BIRD  OF  WEST  AFRICA. 


215 


lie  communicated  the  fact  of  Bedden's  approach;  in  a  few  min- 
utes later  the  great  sheik  arrived. 

He  was  very  tall  and  gaunt;  and  without  any  delay,  both  he 
and  his  people  were  ushered  into  the  hollow  square,  where  they 
all  stuck  their  lances  in  the  ground  and  sat  down. 

I  now  sent  for  Bedden  and  a  few  of  his  principal  men  to  the 
poop-deck  of  my  diahbeeah,  which,  being  covered  with  carpets, 
and  arranged  with  sofas  and  chairs,  was  something  very  astonish- 
ing to  the  great  sheik,  who  had  never  seen  any  thing  but  a  ves- 
sel in  the  distance. 

I  now  explained  the  objects  of  the  expedition;  at  the  same 
time  I  presented  him  with  a  long  Egyptian  blue  shirt  that  reach- 
ed to  his  ankles,  and  made  him  look  more  respectable.  A  crim- 
son sash  round  his  waist,  and  a  red  tarboosh  (fez)  upon  his  head, 
improved  his  appearance  wonderfully,  and  he  began  to  feel  at 
home. 

I  presented  him  with  six  pounds  of  beads  of  various  colors, 
together  with  some  strings  of  harness-bells.  Brass  bugles  and  a 
large  mirror  attracted  more  attention  than  any  other  curiosities. 

I  gave  him  a  brass  bugle,  to  his  great  delight.  The  use  of  the 
cannon  was  then  explained  to  him,  and  the  effects  of  the  shell 
were  pardonably  exaggerated  to  produce  a  respect  for  the  weapon. 

He  gave  us  six  pots  of  merissa  and  some  fowls,  promising  to 
come  again  to-morrow. 

All  these  people  believe  in  sorcery,  and  each  sheik  possesses 
spells  and  conjurors.  Tortoise-shells,  scales  of  the  manis,  lions' 
claws,  and  those  of  the  leopard,  roots,  knots  of  trees  of  peculiar 
shape,  and  many  other  things,  are  worn  as  talismans. 

My  wife's  parrot  was  supposed  to  be  a  cojoor,  or  fetish.  This 
was  the  gray  bird  of  West  Africa,  that  was  unknown  in  these 
parts.  The  interpreter  explained  that  "it  could  speak  like  a 
human  being,  and  that  it  flew  about  the  country  and  listened  to 
what  people  said — all  of  which  it  repeated  to  its  mistress  and 
myself;  thus  we  knew  every  thing  that  occurred,  and  the  natives 
could  not  deceive  us."  This  parrot  was  exceedingly  tame,  and 
was  never  confined.  It  was  now  walking  about  the  deck ;  and| 
while  its  extraordinary  powers  were  being  described  by  my  Bari 
interpreter,  Morgian,  to  the  amazement  and  fear  of  the  natives,  it 
advanced  stoutly  to  the  sheik  Bedden,  and  would  have  bitten  his 
big  toe  had  he  not  quickly  jumped  up  and  taken  leave. 

The  magnetic  battery  and  the  large  musical-box  were  also  be- 
lieved to  be  magic. 

At  sunset  the  great  sheik  departed  in  the  best  of  spirits,  with 


'216 


ISMAILl'A. 


all  his  people,  as  he  had  drunk  a  tumbler  of  Marsala  before  he 
started,  in  order  to  try  the  quality  of  our  merissa. 

The  population  of  this  country  is  very  large,  and  the  natives 
are  good  agriculturists.  Although  the  soil  is  stony,  it  is  very 
productive,  as  the  cultivation  is  carefully  attended  to.  Dhurra, 
sesame,  dochan,  and  beans,  in  addition  to  a  species  of  Hibiscus 
which  produces  an  edible  seed  and  also  a  fine  fibre,  are  sown  in 
exact  oblongs  or  squares,  resembling  the  plots  in  allotment- 
grounds  in  England.  Near  the  villages  are  large  heaps  of  ma- 
nure, collected  from  the  cattle  zareebas.  These  are  mixed  with 
the  sweepings  of  the  stations  and  the  ashes  from  the  cattle-fires, 
and  are  divided,  when  required,  among  the  proprietors  of  the 
herds. 

Each  cow  of  the  zareeba  is  entitled  to  a  certain  measure  of 
manure  at  the  commencement  of  the  rains,  when  all  hands  turn 
out  to  cultivate  ;  thus  the  owner  of  many  cows  is  enabled  to  farm 
a  large  area. 

The  cows  are  all  herded  in  one  or  two  pens;  thus  the  whole 
manure  is  heaped,  and,  when  divided,  is  measured  in  large  bas- 
kets. It  is  then  distributed  very  thickly  over  the  field,  and  is 
roughly  hoed  with  the  iron  molote,  the  seed  being  thrown  upon 
the  manure  broadcast  previous  to  the  hoeing. 

The  geological  appearance  of  the  country  would  suggest  the 
presence  of  precious  metals.  Large  masses  of  rose -colored  and 
icy-white  quartz  project  from  the  surface  in  dikes.  These  run 
for  miles  in  tolerably  direct  lines,  like  walls,  from  west  to  east. 
Generally  the  rocks  are  granitic,  consisting  of  syenite  and  gneiss, 
with  micaceous  schist  in  the  lower  valleys.  Occasionally,  dikes 
of  basalt  break  through  the  surface,  which  is  generally  much  de- 
nuded, and  the  rocks  are  weather-worn  and  decomposed. 

I  have  frequently  washed  for  gold  in  the  most  likely  spots 
among  the  deep  holes  of  ravines,  where  the  torrents  have  worn 
away  the  bed,  but  I  have  found  no  sign  of  either  precious  stones 
or  metals.  Magnetic  iron  ore  in  large  quantities  is  the  only  met- 
al to  be  discovered  in  the  river-beds. 

On  November  13th,  at  sunrise,  Lieutenant  Baker  started  with 
the  troops  to  convey  corn  from  a  distant  village.  I  was  sitting  on 
the  poop-deck  of  the  diahbeeah,  enjoying  a  pipe  and  a  cup  of 
coffee,  when  he  suddenly  galloped  back  with  the  news  that  a  herd 
of  bull-elephants  was  approaching  from  the  west.  I  was  not  pre- 
pared for  elephant-shooting,  and  I  recommended  him  to  return 
to  the  troops,  who  would  otherwise  waste  their  time.  I  had  no 
suspicion  that  elephants  would  approach  our  position  after  hav- 


SUDDEN  APPEARANCE  OF  ELEPHANTS. 


217 


ing  been  disturbed  by  the  soldiers,  in  a  country  that  was  per- 
fectly open. 

Lieutenant  Baker  cantered  back  to  his  men,  while  I  commenced 
to  write  up  my  journal,  according  to  my  daily  custom. 

In  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  sentry  reported  a  herd  of 
elephants.  All  my  people  clambered  up  upon  the  googoos  and 
huts  to  obtain  a  good  view  of  the  herd,  which  from  the  high 
poop-deck  of  the  diahbeeah  we  could  see  distinctly. 

There  were  eleven  bulls,  and  they  were  marching  in  close  or- 
der along  the  bank  of  the  river,  approaching  us  at  about  four 
hundred  yards'  distance. 

I  should  have  thought  it  almost  as  likely  to  meet  a  herd  of  el- 
ephants in  Hyde  Park  as  to  find  them  in  this  open  and  thickly- 
populated  country.  I  now  distinguished  natives  along  the  dis- 
tant heights,  all  of  whom  were  attracted  by  the  uncommon  occur- 
rence. 

In.  the  mean  time  the  elephants  approached,  swinging  their 
trunks  and  huge  ears  to  and  fro,  apparently  unconscious  of  the 
presence  of  the  vessels  and  people. 

I  always  kept  my  guns  and  ammunition  in  beautiful  order, 
arranged  on  a  rack  in  the  cabin.  On  the  left-hand  side  were  the 
shot-guns,  i.  e.,  two  breech-loading  No.  12 ;  four  muzzle-loading 
No.  10.  On  the  right,  the  rifles:  the  little  "Dutchman,"  two 
breech -loading  Keilly  No.  8,  two  muzzle -loading  Holland  half- 
pounders,  that  carried  an  iron  lead -coated  explosive  shell,  con- 
taining a  bursting  charge  of  half  an  ounce  of  fine-grain  powder. 
These  two  elephant  rifles  were  very  hard  hitters,  and  carried 
twelve  drachms  of  powder.  The  ammunition  for  the  rifles  was 
on  a  shelf  that  formed  the  rack,  contained  in  a  small  bag  with  a 
simple  reload,  and  a  large  bag  with  a  considerable  supply.  The 
small  bag  was  intended  for  the  deck,  should  I  call  suddenly  for  a 
rifle. 

Seeing  that  the  elephants  were  so  near,  I  at  once  ordered  my 
horse,  "Greedy  Gray,"  to  be  saddled,  and  the  rifles  and  ammuni- 
tion to  be  sent  after  me.  My  servant,  Suleiman,  who  had  started 
with  me  from  Alexandria,  was  an  honest,  good  creature,  but  so 
exceedingly  nervous  that  he  was  physically  useless  in  any  sud- 
den emergency.  The  climate  of  the  marshes  during  our  long- 
voyage  had  so  affected  his  nervous  system,  that  any  alarm  or 
start  would  set  him  trembling  to  such  an  extent  that  his  teeth 
chattered  as  though  he  had  been  bathing  in  iced  water.  How- 
ever, there  was  no  time  to  lose,  as  I  expected  that,  should  the  ele- 
phants observe  our  vessels,  and  the  troops  in  their  scarlet  uni- 


218 


ismailXa. 


form,  they  would  immediately  wheel  round  and  be  off  at  the  pace 
which  an  African  elephant  knows  so  well  how  to  use. 

I  quickly  mounted  "Greedy  Gray,"  and  told  Suleiman  to  send 
on  my  rifles  directly,  with  ammunition. 

I  ordered  my  men  to  run  up  the  heights,  and  to  come  down  at 
about  two  hundred  paces  in  the  rear  of  the  elephants,  where  they 
were  to  form  a  line  as  though  in  skirmishing  order.  This  line  of 
red  shirts  would  most  probably  check  the  elephants  from  rushing 
back.  My  men  had  orders  to  fire  at  the  elephants,  and  to  endeav- 
or to  turn  them,  should  they  attempt  a  retreat. 

I  was  now  on  "Greedy  Gray;"  the  sloping  ground  was  as 
clean  as  a  race-course.  I  therefore  galloped  up  the  slope,  so  as  to 
keep  above  the  elephants.  The  horse  flew  along  at  full  speed. 
At  this  moment  a  chorus  of  shouts  from  great  numbers  of  na- 
tives who  had  collected  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river  was  raised 
in  admiration  of  the  white  horse,  which  they  probably  thought 
would  in  some  manner  seize  the  elephants. 

In  a  very  few  seconds  I  reined  up  on  the  slope,  about  a  hun- 
dred yards  above  the  herd,  which  had  now  halted  close  to  the 
river's  bank.  They  regarded  the  horse  with  some  curiosity,  and 
massed  themselves  together. 

In  the  mean  time  my  "Forty,"  who  were  capital  runners,  were 
moving  rapidly  along  the  heights,  and  they  presently  came  down, 
and  formed  in  a  long,  open  line  from  the  edge  of  the  river  up  the 
slope.  During  this  operation  the  elephants  only  moved  their  ears 
and  trunks,  but  remained  in  the  same  position.  They  were  now 
completely  surrounded ;  the  diahbeeah  and  my  people  were  in 
their  front,  I  was  above  them  on  one  flank,  and  the  servants  were 
coming  up  with  the  rifles.  In  their  rear  was  a  line  of  about  twen- 
ty soldiers,  and  on  the  other  flank  was  the  deep  .river,  about  one 
hundred  and  ten  yards  wide  from  the  main-land  to  the  island. 

Just  as  the  rifles  were  within  a  few  yards  of  me,  and  I  was  pre- 
paring to  dismount,  the  elephants  wheeled  suddenly  round,  and 
took  to  water. 

They  had  been  standing  in  a  low,  swampy  spot  that  was  fre- 
quently overflowed;  thus  they  had  no  difficulty  in  descending 
to  the  river.  Close  to  this  place,  the  banks  were  perpendicular, 
and  as  hard  as  brick. 

I  ran  down  to  the  river,  but  by  the  time  of  my  arrival  the  ele- 
phants had  gained  the  opposite  bank;  there,  however,  they  were 
in  a  difficulty.  The  water  was  deep,  and  the  bank  of  the  island 
was  perpendicular,  and  about  six  feet  above  the  water.  They 
could  not  get  out  without  breaking  down  the  bank  so  as  to  form 


ELEPHANTS  AND  HOLLAND  HALF-POUNDERS.  219 


an  incline.  Already  these  enormous  creatures,  which  are  accus- 
tomed to  such  difficulties,  were  tearing  down  the  earth  with  their 
tusks  and  horny-toed  feet ;  still  it  was  a  work  of  time  that  gave 
me  a  good  opportunity. 

It  was  difficult  to  obtain  a  shot,  as  the  elephants  were  end  on. 
The  distance  was  about  one  hundred  and  ten  yards,  which  is  very 
uncertain  for  so  large  an  animal,  that  must  be  struck  exactly  in 
the  right  place. 

I  fired  several  shots  with  the  No.  8  breech-loader,  aimed  at  the 
back  of  their  heads,  but  none  of  these  were  successful. 

Monsoor  had  the  ammunition,  and  reloaded  for  me.  The  stun- 
ning effect  of  the  heavy  metal  confused  the  animals,  and  caused 
one  to  fall  backward  into  the  scrambling  herd.  This  turned  an 
elephant  sideways.  The  bank  had  already  given  way,  and  had 
fallen  in  large  masses  into  the  water,  which  reduced  the  depth. 
The  elephants,  which  had  now  gained  a  muddy  footing,  plowed 
and  tore  down  the  yielding  bank  with  redoubled  vigor,  as  my 
men  in  great  excitement  opened  a  hot  fire  upon  them  with  the 
Snider  rifles.  These  had  about  as  much  effect  as  though  they 
had  been  pelted  with  stones. 

Presently,  as  the  depth  lessened  by  the  falling  bank,  the  ele- 
phants showed  more  body  above  the  surface.  The  splashing  and 
scrambling  was  extraordinary ;  at  length  a  large  bull  half  ascend- 
ed the  bank,  and  for  a  moment  exposed  his  flank ;  I  fired  a  quick 
right-and-left  shot  with  a  Keilly  No.  8  behind  his  shoulder,  and 
he  fell  backward  into  the  river,  where  he  commenced  a  series  of 
wild  struggles  that  brought  him  within  twenty  yards  of  me,  and 
I  sent  a  ball  into  his  head  which  killed  him.  The  powerful 
stream  at  once  carried  away  the  floating  carcass. 

The  bank  had  now  completely  given  way,  and  an  elephant 
was  nearly  on  the  summit.  I  fired  at  him  with  one  of  the  Hol- 
land half-pounders,  which  by  the  recoil  flew  out  of  my  hands  for 
a  distance  of  several  yards;  this  was  loaded  with  twelve  drachms 
of  fine -grain  powder.  The  elephant  fell  on  his  knees  on  the 
steep  incline,  and  was  bagged  to  all  intents  and  purposes;  but 
believing  that  I  had  plenty  of  ammunition  at  hand,  I  fired  an- 
other half-pounder  into  his  shoulder,  which  killed  him  on  the 
spot,  and  he  rolled  into  the  water,  and  the  current  took  him 
away. 

I  immediately  sent  a  man  to  order  boats,  with  ropes  and  axes, 
to  follow  the  carcasses. 

In  the  mean  time  I  fired  my  last  No.  8  into  the  shoulder  of  an 
elephant  that  had  just  climbed  the  bank  and  gained  the  island. 

17 


220 


ISMAILlA. 


I  now  bad  a  glorious  opportunity  of  a  shoulder-shot  at  every  an- 
imal as  it  should  ascend  the  steep  incline. 

My  ammunition  was  exhausted !  My  servant  Suleiman  had 
sent  the  little  bag  that  contained  only  one  reload  for  the  breech- 
loaders, and  no  powder-flask  or  shells  for  the  half-pounders.  I 
had  now  the  annoyance  of  witnessing  the  difficult  ascent  of  the 
elephants  in  single  file,  exposing  their  flanks  in  succession  to  the 
shoulder-shot,  while  I  remained  a  helpless  looker-on. 

I  had  thus  bagged  only  two  out  of  eleven,  but  these  were  killed 
at  very  long  shots  (about  one  hundred  and  ten  yards). 

The  half-pounder  rifles  were  the  same  calibre  and  pattern  as 
that  described  in  "The  Nile  Tributaries  of  Abyssinia"  as  "the 
baby."  These  were  made  by  Mr.  Holland,  of  Bond  Street,  and 
are  the  most  overpowering  rifles  I  ever  used.  They  were  certain 
to  kill  the  elephant,  and  to  half  kill  the  man  who  fired  them, 
with  twelve  drachms  of  fine -grain  powder.  I  was  tolerably 
strong,  therefore  I  was  never  killed  outright ;  but  an  Arab  hunt- 
er had  his  collar-bone  smashed  by  the  recoil  when  the  rifle  was 
loaded  with  simple  coarse-grain  powder.  If  he  had  used  fine- 
grain,  I  should  hardly  have  insured  his  life. 

The  elephants,  having  gained  the  island,  remained  some  time 
exposed,  before  they  made  up  their  minds  to  cross  to  the  other 
side.  Unfortunately  the  boats  had  followed  the  carcasses  of  the 
elephants  down  the  river,  which  were  two  miles  distant  before 
they  could  be  secured ;  therefore  we  had  no  means  of  reaching 
the  island.  Our  vessels  could  not  have  crossed,  as  there  were 
many  rocks  below  stream. 

I  therefore  took  a  few  shots  with  Hale's  rockets,  one  of  which 
just  grazed  the  rump  of  an  elephant,  and  set  them  off  in  great  as- 
tonishment. We  then  tried  a  few  shots  with  the  field-piece;  but 
the  gun  made  bad  practice,  and  the  shells  exploded  very  wildly, 
and  not  according  to  the  distances  regulated  by  the  fuses. 

The  specific  gravity  of  the  elephant  differs  considerably  from 
that  of  the  hippopotamus.  The  latter  animal  invariably  sinks 
when  killed,  and  the  body  rises  to  the  surface  in  about  two  hours, 
when  the  gas  has  distended  the  stomach.  The  body  of  an  ele- 
phant floats  on  the  surface  immediately  that  it  is  killed,  and  is 
capable  of  supporting  one  or  more  persons.  The  cavity  of  the 
carcass  is  much  larger  in  the  elephant  than  in  the  hippopotamus ; 
the  latter  is  a  dense  mass  of  flesh,  covered  by  an  exceedingly 
thick  and  heavy  skin,  the  specific  gravity  of  which  is  considera- 
bly greater  than  water. 


A  DESIEE  FOR  PEACE. 


221 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MORAL  RESULTS  OF  THE  HUNT. 

The  moral  result  of  the  elephant-hunt  was  very  satisfactory,  at 
the  same  time  most  unexpected. 

The  sound  of  cannon  had  been  heard  by  the  natives  for  many 
miles ;  this  had  awakened  their  curiosity,  and  numbers  had  sped 
from  the  surrounding  heights  and  satisfied  themselves  that  sev- 
eral elephants  had  been  killed.  The  natives  of  Bedden  flocked 
to  our  little  camp  in  hundreds,  and  were  delighted  at  receiving 
permission  to  take  as  much  elephant's  flesh  as  they  required. 
They  raced  along  the  bank  for  a  couple  of  miles,  to  the  spot 
where  the  two  elephants  had  been  secured  by  my  people  and 
towed  upon  a  sand-bank. 

I  had  sent  down  a  noggur  to  make  sure  of  the  heads,  as  the 
opportunity  of  obtaining  entire  skulls  seldom  offered.  These 
two  heads  had  now  been  brought  safely  to  camp,  and  the  natives 
were  employed  in  cleaning  every  atom  of  flesh  from  the  bone. 

In  the  mean  time  great  numbers  of  our  enemies  were  to  be 
seen  squatting  upon  the  heights  watching  the  happier  Baris  of 
Bedden,  who  had  congregated  like  vultures  in  the  river,  and 
were  quarreling  and  scrambling  over  the  immense  carcasses  of 
the  elephants.  The  temptation  was  too  great  to  withstand. 
Who  could  resist  flesh  ?  The  mouths  of  our  enemies  were  wa- 
tering, as  they  watched  the  neavy  loads  of  red  meat  carried  upon 
the  heads  of  the  rival  Baris.  In  the  afternoon  a  messenger  hail- 
ed the  sentry  to  say  that  one  of  the  sheiks  wished  to  present  him- 
self to  me  to  crave  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  Shortly  after  the 
disappearance  of  this  man  with  a  courteous  answer,  a  batch  of 
messengers  arrived  to  beg  that  their  chief  might  be  received,  as 
they  all  desired  peace. 

On  the  following  morning  I  held  a  general  levee.  About 
twenty  head  men,  or  sheiks  of  principal  villages,  attended  by 
many  of  their  people,  came  to  present  themselves,  and  to  sue  for 
peace.  I  received  the  chiefs  on  my  diahbeeah,  and  each  received 
a  present  of  a  long  blue  shirt  as  he  stepped  on  board.  They  now 
seated  themselves  by  Bedden,  and  a  general  explanation  took 
place. 


222  ISMAIlJA. 

I  assured  them  of  my  regret  that  they  had  forced  me  into  war, 
as  my  mission  to  the  country  had  been  one  of  peace ;  at  the  same 
time  they  must  have  seen  how  impossible  it  was  to  resist  the 
troops  who  were  armed  with  weapons  of  precision,  and  drilled  in 
a  manner  very  different  from  the  companies  of  slave-hunters. 

I  told  them  that  I  had  many  thousand  cattle ;  and  that,  had 
they  agreed  to  sell  me  the  corn  that  was  absolutely  needed  for 
the  troops,  I  should  have  paid  for  it  punctually  with  cows,  as  I 
had  promised  them  when  I  first  entered  their  district.  I  also  ex- 
plained that,  as  they  must  have  observed,  I  had  never  taken  a 
single  head  of  cattle  from  them,  although  I  had  frequently  heard 
the  lowing  of  their  oxen.  I  had  adopted  this  conduct,  although 
in  actual  war,  merely  to  impress  upon  them  the  fact  that  they 
might  depend  upon  my  word.  I  had  offered  to  exchange  my 
cattle  for  their  corn  ;  thus,  had  I  taken  their  cattle,  they  might 
have  disbelieved  my  sincerity. 

They  replied  that  "it  must  be  expected  that  little  differences 
would  occur  at  the  beginning."  They  had  been  incited  against 
us  by  the  Baris  of  Belinian,  and  the  war  was  entirely  their  own 
fault.  At  the  same  time  they  laughed,  and  said  that  "  hunger 
was  a  very  bad  thing,  and  that  hungry  men  would  always  fill 
their  stomachs,  if  they  could  ;  therefore  we  had  been  quite  right 
to  take  their  corn."  They  declared  that  it  did  not  in  the  least 
matter,  as  the  islands  were  very  fertile,  and  would  produce  an- 
other crop  very  quickly ;  in  the  mean  time  they  had  a  good 
supply  concealed,  and  their  loss  only  necessitated  a  little  extra 
labor. 

They  continued  this  peaceable  conversation  by  saying  that 
"the  elephants  were  seldom  seen  in  this  district,  and  that  they 
did  not  understand  such  hunting;  but  they  had  heard  the  can- 
nons, and  they  knew  that  we  should  be  able  to  kill  them."  The 
meeting  concluded  by  a  request  for  meat;  and  the  sheiks  hav- 
ing given  instructions  to  certain  messengers,  dispatched  them  to 
summon  their  people  to  the  sand-bank,  where  the  remains  of  the 
elephants  were  lying. 

In  a  short  time  swarms  of  natives  lately  our  enemies  were  col- 
lecting from  all  quarters,  and  hurrying  toward  the  attractive  spot 
as  though  they  were  going  to  a  fair. 

I  gave  the  head  men  a  present  of  beads,  and  took  them  to  ad- 
mire themselves  in  the  large  glass  within  the  cabin  of  the  diah- 
beeah.  I  scrambled  some  pounds  of  beads  among  their  people, 
and  got  up  foot-races  for  prizes. 

The  natives  selected  some  of  their  best  runners;  but  although 


PEACE  EFFECTED. 


223 


they  ran  well,  they  were  all  beaten  by  Ali  Nedjar,  of  the  "  Forty 
Thieves,"  who  was  the  champion  runner  of  the  expedition. 

The  sheiks  requested  that  the  cannon  might  be  fired  for  their 
amusement.  A  shot  with  blank  cartridge  made  them  look  very 
serious.  They  then  went  to  look  at  the  two  elephants'  heads, 
which  they  believed  had  been  blown  off  by  the  cannon  on  the 
day  of  the  hunt. 

They  returned  to  the  diahbeeah,  and  ordered  their  people  to 
bring  the  present  they  had  prepared  for  me.  This  consisted  of 
thirty-one  jars  of  merissa,  each  of  which  was  duly  tasted  by  them- 
selves as  proof  of  the  absence  of  poison. 

Before  they  departed,  I  was  assured,  not  only  of  their  regret 
that  the  misunderstanding  should  have  taken  place,  but  that  af- 
ter their  bean  crop,  which  would  be  in  about  two  months,  they 
would  unite  with  Bedden  and  carry  all  my  baggage  into  the  in- 
terior.   They  took  leave,  and  went  off  in  the  direction  of  the 

dead  elephants. 

******* 

Here  was  a  sudden  change  in  the  politics  of  the  country ! 
Peace  had  been  effected  by  the  sacrifice  of  two  elephants! 

This  peace  was  the  result  of  greediness  and  envy.  The  na- 
tives had  pined  for  the  flesh,  and  envied  the  Baris  of  Bedden 
who  were  carrying  it  away ;  therefore  they  sued  for  peace. 

At  the  same  time  they  had  originally  declined  my  offer  of 
a  large  herd  of  cattle  that  would  have  been  worth  a  hundred 
elephants.  Thus  they  had  courted  war,  in  which  they  had  lost 
many  of  their  people,  together  with  much  corn,  all  of  which  they 
might  have  sold  for  cows ;  and  they  now  desired  peace,  only 
to  join  in  the  scramble,  like  vultures,  over  the  flesh  of  two 
elephants. 

African  negroes  are  incomprehensible  people,  and  they  can 
not  be  judged  by  the  ordinary  rules  of  human  nature.  It  was 
easy  to  understand  that  if  they  desired  peace  upon  so  frivolous 
a  pretext,  they  would  plunge  into  war  with  the  same  frivolity — 
with  a  "cceur  Mger" 

As  each  division  of  the  district  quickly  followed  the  example 
of  another  in  desiring  peace,  in  like  manner  would  they  follow 
an  evil  example  in  provoking  hostilities. 

They  had  now  professed  friendship  for  the  sake  of  a  few  steaks. 
They  had  promised  to  carry  our  baggage  into  the  interior.  If 
they  would  only  be  true  to  this  offer,  I  should  be  able  to  trans- 
port the  steamer,  as  the  natives  could  easily  drag  the  two-wheeled 
carts.     Although  I  doubted  their  professions,  I  had  some  secret 


224 


ISMAILlA. 


hopes  of  success,  and  I  resolved  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  estab- 
lish confidence.  I  therefore  invited  two  very  intelligent  natives 
to  pay  me  a  visit,  and  to  reside  some  time  at  Gondokoro,  where 
they  would  witness  the  general  management  of  the  station,  and 
see  the  workshops,  etc.  They  would  also  see  the  vast  herds  of 
cattle  belonging  to  the  government,  the  spoil  of  the  Bari  war. 
This  would  be  a  sight  most  interesting  to  the  eyes  of  Baris,  as  it 
would  be  a  lesson  of  the  great  power  of  the  government  to  either 
punish  or  reward. 

In  the  afternoon  I  was  visited  by  other  native  head  men  from 
the  east  side  of  the  Nile.  These  people  had  swum  the  river,  and 
had  followed  the  example  of  the  other  natives  to  sue  for  peace, 
and  to  beg  for  elephant's  flesh. 

This  extraordinary  craving  for  flesh  would  suggest  that  the 
Baris  were  devoid  of  cattle.  On  the  contrary,  there  are  count- 
less herds  throughout  the  country ;  but  the  natives  have  a  great 
objection  to  kill  them,  and  merely  keep  the  cows  for  their  milk, 
and  the  bullocks  to  bleed. 

The  cows  are  also  bled  periodically,  and  the  blood  is  boiled 
and  eaten,  much  in  the  same  manner  that  black  pudding  is  used 
throughout  Europe.  A  herd  of  cattle  will  thus  provide  animal 
food  without  the  necessity  of  slaughtering. 

The  great  traveler,  Bruce,  was  discredited  for  having  described 
a  fact  of  which  he  was  an  eye-witness.  This  was  the  vivisection  of 
a  cow  driven  by  natives,  who  cut  a  steak  out  of  her  hind-quarters. 

I  had  a  bull  with  a  very  large  hump.  This  animal  was  very 
handsome,  and  was  kept  for  stock.  I  observed  that  the  skin  of 
the  hump  showed  a  long  jagged  scar  from  end  to  end,  and  my 
people  assured  me  that  this  bull  had  frequently  been  operated 
upon.  It  had  been  the  property  of  one  of  the  slave -hunter's 
parties,  and  they  had  been  in  the  habit  of  removing  the  hump 
(as  a  surgeon  would  a  tumor).  This  is  the  most  delicate  portion 
of  the  meat,  and  I  was  assured  that  the  hump  would  always  be 
replaced  by  a  similar  growth  after  each  operation. 

On  November  18th  I  commenced  the  march  homeward.  The 
natives  were  now  friendly  throughout  the  route,  and  my  men 
were  strictly  forbidden  to  enter  a  village.  There  was  a  great 
change  in  my  officers  and  troops ;  they  had  fallen  into  my  ways, 
and  obeyed  every  order  with  alacrity.  They  had  learned  to 
place  thorough  reliance  upon  any  plans  that  were  arranged  ;  and, 
now  that  they  knew  the  necessity  of  obedience  and  discipline, 
they  had,  imperceptibly  to  themselves,  changed  from  ruffians  into 
very  orderly  soldiers. 


ABO U  SAOOD' S  SWINDLE. 


225 


On  the  march  homeward,  upon  arrival  at  the  foot  of  a  mount- 
ain, I  made  an  excursion  inland,  as  this  was  a  portion  of  the 
country  that  I  had  not  yet  visited,  though  only  six  miles  from 
Gondokoro.  The  natives  were  very  shy,  but  I  at  length  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  an  interview  with  their  sheik,  a  tall,  power- 
ful fellow,  named  Meri.  I  explained  that  I  required  no  corn, 
nor  any  supplies  except  stone. 

The  country  abounded  with  pieces  of  gneiss  with  a  very 
straight  cleavage,  that  suited  them  admirably  for  building  pur- 
poses. All  the  granaries  of  this  country  were  supported  upon 
pillars  formed  of  single  stones  about  three  feet  long.  The  houses 
were  also  protected  by  large  flat  stones  arranged  like  tiles  around 
the  base,  and  thus  securing  the  sides  from  the  driven  storms  of  rain. 

On  November  19th  I  returned  to  Gondokoro,  highly  satisfied 
with  the  result  of  the  campaign.  Not  only  were  my  magazines 
all  filled  with  more  than  twelve  months'  supply  of  corn,  but  I 
had  established  peace  throughout  a  large  and  powerful  district, 
and  I  had  received  promises  of  assistance,  and  an  assurance  of 
allegiance  to  the  government. 

Abou  Saood,  who  had  received  permission  to  go  to  Khartoum, 
had  only  gone  down  the  river  as  far  as  his  station  at  the  Bahr. 
There  he  had  made  arrangements  with  his  people  that  the  ivory 
from  Latooka  station,  one  hundred  miles  east  of  Gondokoro, 
should  avoid  my  head-quarters,  and  be  conveyed  by  an  oblique 
course  to  the  Bahr.  By  this  swindle  the  government  would  be 
cheated  out  of  the  share  of  two-fifths  of  the  ivory  which  belonged 
to  them  by  contract  with  Agad  &  Co. 

Abou  Saood  having  personally  witnessed  the  departure  of  the 
troops  to  Khartoum,  considered  his  game  as  won,  and  that  the 
expedition,  now  reduced  to  only  five  hundred  and  two  officers 
and  men,  would  be  compelled  to  centralize  at  Gondokoro,  with- 
out the  possibility  of  penetrating  the  interior.  He  had  thus 
started  for  his  stations  in  the  distant  south,  where  he  intended  to 
incite  the  natives  against  the  government,  to  prevent  me  from 
following  out  my  plans  with  the  small  force  at  my  disposal. 

This  was  the  first  time  in  the  career  of  Abou  Saood  that  he 
had  ever  traveled  inland.  He  had  for  many  years  been  in  the 
habit  of  arriving  at  Gondokoro  from  Khartoum  with  the  annual 
vessels  from  Agad  &  Co.,  bringing  new  levies  of  brigands,  togeth- 
er with  fresh  supplies  of  arms  and  ammunition.  He  then  re- 
mained at  Gondokoro  for  several  weeks,  and  received  the  ivory 
and  slaves  collected  from  his  various  stations  in  the  interior,  with 
which  he  returned  to  Khartoum. 


ismailTa. 


The  necessity  of  the  occasion  induced  him  to  use  much  per- 
sonal activity.  Knowing  well  the  date  when  my  term  of  service 
would  expire,  he  had  only  one  object,  in  which  he  had  already 
nearly  succeeded — this  was  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  my  ad- 
vance within  the  given  period. 

It  was  therefore  necessary  for  him  to  visit  his  stations,  and  to 
warn  his  people  to  hold  both  their  slaves  and  ivory  until  I  should 
be  withdrawn  from  Gondokoro  by  the  expiration  of  my  term  of 
service ;  after  which  he  had  no  doubt  that  things  would  quickly 
return  to  their  former  happy  state.  By  these  means  he  would  be 
abje  to  cheat  the  government  out  of  the  two-fifths  of  all  ivory  ; 
he  would  preserve  his  slaves;  and  a  judicious  present  to  some 
high  official  would  reinstate  him  in  his  original  position  as  the 
greatest  slave-hunter  of  the  White  Nile,  with  the  additional  kudos 
of  having  baffled  the  Christian  pasha. 

I  had  already  written  to  assure  the  Khedive  that,  should  my 
work  not  be  satisfactorily  accomplished  at  the  expiration  of  my 
term  of  service,  I  should  continue  at  my  post  until  I  could  honor- 
ably resign  the  command,  when  the  government  should  be  firm- 
ly established  in  the  interior. 

I  now  devoted  every  energy  to  the  preparations  for  starting,  to- 
gether with  the  English  engineers  and  the  steamer.  Having  given 
the  necessary  instructions  to  Mr.  Higginbotham,  to  Mr.  Mc Wil- 
liam, and  to  Mr.  Jarvis,  each  of  whom  represented  the  head  of  his 
department,  I  had  no  anxiety,  as  I  felt  sure  that  every  thing  would 
be  in  order. 

The  carts  were  to  be  thoroughly  examined,  and  the  No.  3 
steamer,  of  thirty  -  eight  tons,  was  to  be  divided  in  parcels ;  the 
small  work  secured  in  loads  of  fifty  pounds,  each  sewn  up  in  raw 
hide,  and  the  heavier  portions  divided  among  the  carts. 

The  officers  were  now  perfectly  resigned  to  their  lot.  The 
remnant  of  the  Egyptian  force  had  been  converted  into  artillery- 
men, and  all  the  Soudanis  formed  one  regiment. 

While  Mr.  Higginbotham  was  engaged  in  the  work  of  arran- 
ging and  packing,  my  masons  were  busy  in  the  manufacture  of 
bricks,  as  I  wished  eventually  to  build  the  barracks  of  this  solid 
material,  instead  of  trusting  to  the  dangerously  inflammable  straw 
huts.  I  had  already  written  to  England  for  sufficient  galvanized 
iron  for  three  thousand  feet  of  building  in  actual  length. 

Although  galvanized  iron  is  hot  in  a  tropical  climate,  it  can 
easily  be  protected  from  the  sun  by  a  light  frame -work  of  canes 
slightly  thatched.  My  Soudanis  were  never  overpowered  by  heat, 
as  they  had  been  born  in  a  high  temperature. 


PEACE  AT  GONDOKOBO. 


227 


Before  I  started  for  the  interior,  it  was  necessary  to  give  the 
Shir  a  reprimand  for  the  massacre  of  my  unfortunate  soldiers 
who  had  been  left  in  charge  of  the  cultivation.  I  accordingly 
organized  an  expedition,  and  in  the  course  of  a  fortnight  I  gave 
them  a  severe  lesson.  The  military  details  of  this  expedition 
would  merely  be  a  repetition  of  savage  warfare  that  would  be 
unnecessary. 

On  my  return  to  Gondokoro,  I  found  the  natives  had  collected 
a  large  quantity  of  stones,  and  they  had  sent  to  request  a  vessel 
to  transport  them.  I  gave  them  a  cow,  and  they  had  a  general 
dance.  .  This  reception  seemed  to  delight  them,  and  they  return- 
ed to  their  villages,  accompanied  by  a  noggur  with  an  officer  and 
twenty  men.  I  gave  strict  orders  that  no  soldier  should  enter  a 
native  hut  under  any  pretext. 

The  Bari  war  was  over.  Upon  every  side  the  natives  had 
been  thoroughly  subdued.  The  fear  of  the  horses  and  the  Snider 
rifles  had  spread  throughout  the  country.  It  was  reported  that 
no  herds  of  cattle  could  possibly  escape  the  horses,  and  that  we 
could  fire  from  their  backs  at  full  speed;  thus  nothing  could 
withstand  them.  The  Snider  rifles  were  believed  to  be  "cojoor," 
or  magic.  The  helmet-shaped  caps  worn  by  Lieutenant  Baker 
and  myself  were  also  considered  to  be  "cojoor."  I  now  heard 
from  our  Bari  interpreters,  Sherroom  and  Morgian,  that  the  sheik 
Allorron  was  willing  to  sue  for  peace,  and  to  declare  his  alle- 
giance to  the  government. 

Abou  Saood.and  his  people  had  departed;  thus  the  evil  spir- 
it was  withdrawn  that  had  hitherto  covertly  incited  the  natives 
against  the  government,  and  the  effect  of  his  absence  was  imme- 
diately apparent. 

I  now  devoted  my  attention  to  the  final  preparations  for  the 
start,  and  to  the  necessary  instructions  for  the  command  of  the 
station  during  my  absence.  The  officers  found  that  it  was  now 
impossible  to  resist  their  destiny;  and  Kaouf  Bey,  the  colonel, 
who  had,  against  orders,  sent  off  so  many  troops  to  Khartoum 
who  were  in  good  health,  now  discovered  that  he  would  be  left 
with  a  comparatively  small  force  to  hold  the  important  position 
at  head-quarters. 

The  troops  who  had  been  employed  under  my  personal  com- 
mand were  very  anxious  to  accompany  me  into  the  equatorial 
district. 

There  was  no  more  fighting.  All  my  hopes  of  peace  were  at 
length  realized.  The  nights  were  always  undisturbed,  and  the 
sentries  might  have  indulged  in  sleep  without  the  slightest  dan- 


228 


ISMAIL! A. 


ger.  A  dead  calm  had  succeeded  to  the  excitement  of  constant 
watchfulness. 

I  now  employed  the  "  Forty  Thieves  "  in  making  salt.  There 
were  peculiar  surface  mines  within  a  mile  of  my  little  station. 
These  were  situated  upon  a  sandy  loam  on  the  banks  of  a  brack- 
ish lake  that  swarmed  with  crocodiles. 

The  salt  always  showed  upon  the  surface  after  a  shower  of  rain 
had  been  evaporated  by  the  sun.  This  efflorescence,  together 
with  sand  and  other  impurities,  was  scraped  from  the  earth  with 
large  mussel-shells.  It  was  then  placed  in  earthenware  vessels 
containing  about  five  gallons.  These  were  pierced  with  holes  in 
the  bottom,  which  were  covered  with  a  wisp  of  straw  as  a  strain- 
er. The  jars,  being  full  of  salt  and  sand,  were  watered  occasion- 
ally, and  the  brine  accordingly  filtered  through  to  a  receiver.  The 
contents  were  boiled,  and  produced  the  finest  chloride  of  sodium. 

The  natural  productions  of  the  neighborhood  were  salt,  iron, 
tamarinds,  the  oil -nut  tree;  and  the  cultivation  of  the  natives 
was  principally  Hibiscus  hemp,  tobacco,  varieties  of  beans,  sesame, 
dhurra,  and  dochan  (millet).  I  endeavored  to  persuade  the  Baris 
to  cultivate  and  prepare  large  quantities  of  the  Hibiscus  hemp, 
which  would  be  extremely  valuable  in  the  Soudan.  The  Baris 
used  it  for  nets  and  fishing-lines. 

The  tamarinds  were  of  two  varieties,  and  were  produced  in 
extraordinary  quantities.  About  two  miles  from  head -quarters 
there  was  an  extensive  portion  of  the  forest  composed  almost  ex- 
clusively of  these  magnificent  trees. 

The  forest  was  also  rich  in  the  tree  known  to  the  Arabs  as 
"  heglik."  This  bears  a  fruit  about  the  size  of  a  date  (lalobe), 
which  is  a  combination  of  sweet,  bitter,  and  highly  aromatic. 
My  men  collected  several  hundred-weight,  as  I  wished  to  try  an 
experiment  in  distilling.  There  was  an  excellent  copper  still  in 
the  magazine,  and  I  succeeded  in  producing  a  delicious  spirit 
somewhat  resembling  kirschenwasser. 

My  cotton  was  now  ripe,  and  I  cleaned  it  with  a  small  hand- 
gin  that  could  be  worked  by  two  men.  This  greatly  interested 
the  Bari  visitors,  who  by  my  special  invitation  had  been  residing 
for  some  time  at  Gondokoro. 

The  dry  season  had  been  very  unfavorable  for  cotton ;  never- 
theless, the  quality  was  good,  and  proved  that  it  would  thrive  in 
the  locality.  The  species  that  was  indigenous  grew  to  a  great 
size,  and  seemed  to  defy  the  drought.  This  bore  a  red  blossom, 
and  the  pod  was  small.  The  native  cotton  was  of  short  staple, 
and  adhered  strongly  to  the  seed. 


A  NIGHT- VISIT  FROM  ELEPHANTS. 


229 


On  November  29th  two  Arabs  arrived  from  Abou  Saood's 
Latooka  station,  one  hundred  miles  east  of  Gondokoro:  they  had 
traveled  at  night,  and  were  deserters  from  the  vakeel.  One  of 
these  fellows  turned  out  to  be  my  old  follower  during  my  former 
journey,  Mohammed,  the  camel-driver,  and  he  literally  cried  with 
joy  when  he  saw  my  wife  and  me  again.  He  gave  me  all  the 
news  from  the  slave-traders'  camp,  which  was  full  of  slaves;  and 
they  were  afraid  that  I  might  arrive,  as  they  were  aware  that  I 
knew  the  road.  The  vakeel  of  Latooka  had  received  and  har- 
bored two  of  my  Egyptian  soldiers,  who  had  deserted  from  Gon- 
dokoro and  joined  the  slave-hunters,  under  the  guidance  of  a  Bari. 

On  December  1st  Lieutenant  Baker  shot  a  fine  bull-elephant, 
with  very  large  tusks ;  this  was  within  four  miles  of  head-quar- 
ters. At  this  season  they  were  very  numerous  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Gondokoro.  During  my  absence  to  the  south  of  Kegiaf, 
there  had  been  a  curious  nocturnal  alarm  in  the  station. 

Upon  a  fine  moonlight  night  the  sentries  were  astonished  by 
the  appearance  of  two  immense  bull -elephants,  that,  having 
marched  along  the  cliff,  took  the  fort  in  the  rear  on  the  river 
side. 

The  fort  was  a  redan,  open  at  the  river  base ;  thus,  unheeding 
the  sentry,  the  elephants  coolly  walked  into  the  centre.  The 
sentry's  musket  was  immediately  responded  to  by  the  guard ; 
the  buglers,  startled  by  a  sharp  fire  of  musketry,  blew  the  alarm. 

The  elephants,  now  alarmed  in  their  turn,  rushed  onward  ; 
but  upon  ascending  the  earth -work,  they  were  met  by  a  deep 
yawning  ditch,  which  they  could  not  cross.  The  whole  force 
turned  out,  and  the  attack  on  the  thick-skinned  intruders  be- 
came general.  The  bullets  flew  so  wildly  that  it  was  more  dan- 
gerous foT  by-standers  than  for  the  elephants. 

In  the  mean  while  the  panic-stricken  animals  charged  wildly 
in  all  directions,  but  were  invariably  stopped  by  the  ditch  and 
rampart,  until  at  last  they  happened  to  find  the  right  direction, 
and  retreated  by  their  original  entrance,  most  probably  not  much 
the  worse  for  the  adventure. 

Mr.  Higginbotham,  who  gave  me  this  account,  described  the 
excitement  of  the  troops  as  so  intense  that  they  let  their  muskets 
off  completely  at  random;  and  so  thick  were  the  bullets  in  his 
direction  that  he  was  obliged  to  take  shelter  behind  a  white-ant 
hill. 

I  had  no  time  to  devote  to  elephant-shooting,  otherwise  I  might 
have  killed  a  considerable  number  in  the  neighborhood  of  Gon- 
dokoro.   The  Baris  are  not  good  hunters,  and  they  merely  catch 


230 


ISMAILlA. 


the  elephants  in  pitfalls ;  therefore,  being  free  from  attack,  these 
animals  are  exceedingly  daring,  and  are  easy  to  approach. 

They  are  generally  attracted  by  the  ripe  lalobes,  the  fruit  al- 
ready described  of  the  heglik  {Balanites  Egyptiaca).  The  trees, 
if  of  medium  size,  are  frequently  torn  down  for  the  sake  of  this 
small  production,  that  would  appear  too  insignificant  for  the  no- 
tice of  so  huge  an  animal. 

I  once  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  an  elephant's  strength 
exerted,  in  his  search  for  this  small  fruit.  I  was  in  the  Shir 
country  ;  and  one  evening,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker, 
I  strolled  into  the  forest  about  half  a  mile  from  our  vessels,  to 
watch  for  water-buck  {Redunca  Ellipsiprymna)  in  a  small  glade 
where  I  had  shot  one  on  the  previous  evening. 

We  had  not  long  been  concealed,  when  I  heard  a  peculiar  noise 
in  the  thick  forest  that  denoted  the  approach  of  elephants. 

We  at  once  retreated  to  some  rising  ground  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  paces  distant,  as  our  small  rifles  would  have  been 
useless  against  such  heavy  game.  In  a  short  time  several  ele- 
phants appeared  from  various  portions  of  the  covert,  and  one  of 
extraordinary  size  moved  slowly  toward  us,  until  he  halted  be- 
neath a  tall,  spreading  heglik.  This  tree  must  have  been  nearly 
three  feet  in  diameter,  and  was  about  thirty  feet  high  from  the 
ground  to  the  first  branch  ;  it  was  therefore  impossible  for  the 
elephant  to  gather  the  coveted  fruit.  To  root  up  such  a  tree 
would  have  been  out  of  the  question,  and  I  should  not  have 
thought  that  the  power  of  any  animal  could  have  affected  it. 
The  elephant  paused  for  a  short  time,  as  though  considering ;  he 
then  butted  his  forehead  suddenly  against  the  trunk.  I  could 
not  have  believed  the  effect ;  this  large  tree,  which  was  equal  in 
appearance  to  the  average  size  of  park  timber,  quivered  jn  every 
branch  to  such  a  degree,  that  had  a  person  taken  refuge  from  an 
elephant,  and  thought  himself  secure  in  the  top,  he  would  have 
found  it  difficult  to  hold  on. 

When  the  lalobes  fall,  they  must  be  picked  up  individually; 
and  although  the  trouble  appears  disproportioned  to  the  value  of 
the  fruit,  there  is  no  food  so  much  coveted  by  elephants. 

Near  this  spot,  on  the  following  day,  I  had  a  close  adventure 
with  a  hippopotamus.  I  had  gone  to  the  same  place  where  I 
had  seen  the  elephants,  and  I  was  returning  through  the  forest 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  river  margin,  when,  upon  suddenly 
turning  round  a  dense  thorn-bush,  I  came  within  four  or  five 
paces  of  a  large  bull -hippopotamus.  This  animal  had  left  the 
river  for  an  evening  ramble  on  the  shore,  and  was  munching 


IMPENETRABLE  HIPPOPOTAMUS. 


231 


some  succulent  grass  with  such  gusto  that  he  had  not  heard  my 
approach.  Unfortunately,  I  had  come  upon  him  exactly  at  right 
angles,  which  restricted  my  shot  to  the  temple.  This  is  the  most 
difficult  of  penetration  in  the  hippopotamus. 

I  only  had  the  "Dutchman,"  and  my  attendant  Monsoor  car- 
ried a  Snider  rifle ;  thus  we  were  badly  armed  for  so  impenetra- 
ble a  beast.  I  fired  just  in  front  of  the  ear,  certainly  within  fif- 
teen feet.  The  only  effect  produced  was  a  shake  of  his  head,  and 
he  appeared  rather  stupid,  as  though  stunned.  The  left-hand 
barrel  followed  quickly  upon  the  right.  Monsoor  fired  with  his 
Snider.  The  "Dutchman,"  being  a  breech-loader,  was  ready 
again,  and  we  fired  into  this  stupid-looking  brute  as  though  he 
had  been  a  target,  and  with  about  the  same  effect.  Suddenly,  as 
though  we  had  just  awakened  him,  he  turned  round  and  bolted 
into  a  dense  mass  of  thorns  about  thirty  paces  before  us. 

In  the  mean  time  the  troops  at  the  vessels,  that  were  within 
about  three  hundred  paces,  having  heard  the  rapid  and  continued 
firing,  supposed  that  I  had  been  attacked  by  the  natives.  The 
"Forty  Thieves"  rushed  to  the  rescue.  I  heard  the  bugle,  and 
presently  the  voices  of  the  men  as  they  approached,  running 
through  the  bush  at  full  speed.  The  hippopotamus  had  moved 
from  his  thorny  retreat,  and  was  walking  slowly  forward,  when 
he  was  stumbled  against  by  "  The  Forty,"  some  of  whom  literal- 
ly ran  against  him. 

The  animal  appeared  quite  stunned  and  stupid,  and  he  merely 
stood  and  stared  at  his  new  assailants.  The  sight  was  perfectly 
ridiculous.  Every  rifle  was  fired  into  him ;  but  the  hollow  bul- 
lets of  the  Sniders  had  no  penetration,  and  we  might  as  well  have 
peppered  the  stone  bulls  of  Nineveh  in  the  British  Museum.  At 
length,  after  having  been  the  centre  of  a  blaze  of  fire-works,  as 
every  man  did  his  best  to  kill  him  during  a  space  of  about  a  min- 
ute, he  coolly  approached  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  which  was  quite 
perpendicular,  and  about  eighteen  feet  high. 

A  tremendous  splash  was  the  end  of  the  encounter  as  the  hip- 
po committed  himself  to  the  deep,  with  a  clumsy  jump  from  the 
midst  of  the  disappointed  soldiers. 

I  was  constantly  annoyed  by  the  want  of  penetration  of  the 
Boxer  hollow  bullets.  The  "Dutchman"  carried  three  drachms 
of  No.  6-grain  powder,  which  should  have  driven  a  solid  bullet 
through  a  large  antelope;  but  the  hollow  Boxer  projectile  inva- 
riably disappeared  in  small  fragments  upon  striking  a  bone;  or 
it  expanded,  and  had  no  further  penetrating  power  after  striking 
a  thick  hide. 


232 


ISMAILlA. 


The  Sniders,  although  admirable  military  weapons,  possessed 
a  very  small  power  of  penetration.  I  have  frequently  seen  the 
bodies  of  natives  with  only  one  bullet -mark,  and  I  have  ex- 
tracted bullets  that  ought  to  have  passed  completely  through. 

My  "Forty  Thieves"  were  now  proud  of  themselves  as  expe- 
rienced in  various  sports,  and  they  were  terribly  disgusted  at  the 
escape  of  the  hippopotamus.  They  were  never  idle  for  a  single 
day.  If  no  other  work  was  on  hand,  I  practiced  them  at  the 
target,  or  they  were  treated  to  a  few  hours'  drill. 

Sometimes  I  took  them  fishing ;  this  was  always  a  great 
amusement,  as  the  expedition  was  well  furnished  with  nets. 

There  was  a  small  lake  near  my  station  that  abounded  in  fish. 
One  of  my  sailors  belonging  to  the  diahbeeah  was  a  professional 
fisherman,  descended  from  a  race  of  this  calling.  I  had  therefore 
intrusted  him  with  the  charge  of  the  nets.  All  the  sailors  of  the 
diahbeeah  were  good  men ;  but  the  fisherman,  Howarti,  was  the 
best  of  the  picked  crew.  He  was  a  Nubian,  born  in  Khartoum, 
and  of  an  exceedingly  light  color.  His  style  of  beauty  was  rath- 
er spoiled  by  the  loss  of  one  eye,  and  altogether  his  personal  ap- 
pearance was  not  attractive ;  but  he  was  very  strong,  although  a 
small  man,  and  in  any  case  of  emergency  he  was  the  most  active 
and  intelligent  sailor.  Howarti  was  always  the  first  man  to  leap 
overboard  with  the  tow-rope,  when  it  became  necessary  to  drag 
the  vessel  against  wind  and  stream :  he  was,  like  all  Nubians,  an 
admirable  swimmer. 

Our  comfort  had  depended  much  upon  this  man  throughout 
the  expedition,  as  he  was  the  only  person  who  could  properly 
throw  a  casting-net.  Thus  he  had  always  supplied  us  with  ex- 
cellent fish.  I  often  admired  his  perseverance,  when,  after  twen- 
ty or  thirty  barren  casts,  he  rested  for  a  while,  cleaned  his  net, 
and  waded,  in  spite  of  crocodiles,  to  seek  a  more  likely  spot  to 
catch  fish  for  breakfast,  at  a  time  when  this  meal  would  depend 
entirely  upon  his  success.  At  such  times  I  frequently  advised 
him,  as  a  good  Mohammedan,  to  say  "  Bismillah  "  (in  the  name 
of  God)  before  he  threw  the  net.  On  the  first  occasion,  before  I 
gave  him  this  advice,  he  had  had  extremely  bad  luck,  and  he  told 
me  that  "something  was  wrong  with  the  fish,"  as  he  had  thrown 
his  net  for  an  hour  without  catching  any  thing  except  a  few  un- 
eatable spike-fish. 

I  advised  him  to  come  with  me  in  the  dingy ;  and  having  row- 
ed a  short  distance,  we  arrived  at  a  sand-bank  in  the  bend  of  the 
river.  Here  we  landed,  and  I  found  fault  with  Howarti  for  omit- 
ting to  say  "Bismillah!" 


BOWABTI  EXCLAIMS  "BISMILLAH!" 


233 


"  Will  it  do  any  good  ?"  said  the  profane  Howarti.  "  Try,"  I 
replied;  "you  know  the  opinion  of  Mohammedans;  now  then, 
Howarti,  say  'Bismillah!'  and  throw  just  in  that  hole  close  to 
the  weeds.  Spin  your  net  so  that  it  shall  fall  perfectly  round, 
and  advance  very  quietly  to  the  edge,  so  that  your  shadow  shall 
not  disturb  the  fish." 

"  Bismillah !"  ejaculated  Howarti,  and  he  crept  cautiously  for- 
ward to  a  very  likely-looking  hole — "  Bismillah !"  and  with  a  dex- 
terous throw,  the  net  described  an  exact  circle  as  it  fell  evenly 
upon  the  water. 

No  sooner  had  the  fisherman  commenced  to  tighten  the  crown- 
line,  when  the  rapid  and  powerful  jerks  showed  that  he  had  some- 
thing good  within  his  net. 

"  Now,  Howarti,  look  sharp !  the  bottom  is  clean  sand :  haul 
away,  and  don't  give  them  time  to  burrow  beneath  the  leads." 

Howarti  hauled  away,  and  as  the  net  came  near  the  shore, 
there  was  such  a  splashing  and  jumping  as  he  had  rarely  seen. 
The  net  came  in  upon  the  clean  sand-bank,  and  we  counted  up- 
ward of  forty  fine  boulti,  several  of  about  four  pounds,  and  the 
smallest  about  half  a  pound  weight. 

Howarti,  having  counted  his  fish,  exclaimed,  piously,  "El 
hambd-el-Illah !"  and  added,  "  In  future  I  shall  always  say  '  Bis- 
millah!'" 

Howarti  cleaned  his  net ;  the  fish  were  placed  in  a  basket,  and 
were  covered  with  some  river-weed  to  keep  them  fresh. 

Once  more  the  fisherman  arranged  his  net  upon  his  arm,  and 
cautiously  approached  a  most  inviting  little  nook,  where  some 
large  lotus -leaves  floating  on  the  surface  denoted  a  medium 
depth. 

"Now,  then,  Howarti,  throw  very  carefully,  so  as  to  spread 
your  net  in  that  open  space  among  the  lilies,  and  take  care  to 
avoid  the  leaf -sterns  that  would  lift  the  leads." 

"  Bismillah  !"  Away  flew  the  net,  which  fell  in  a  circle  exactly 
in  the  spot  desired. 

It  was  amusing  to  watch  the  usually  stolid  countenance  of 
Howarti,  that  was  now  expressive  of  intense  curiosity. 

The  crown-line  jerked  and  tugged  even  more  than  at  the  first 
lucky  throw.  Howarti  cleverly  and  cautiously  landed  his  net. 
It  contained  a  regular  "  miraculous  draught,"  including  a  Nile 
carp  of  about  nine  pounds. 

"That  will  do,  Howarti,"  I  exclaimed;  "we  have  fish  enough 
for  all  the  people  on  the  diahbeeah,  as  well  as  for  the  officers  of 
'  The  Forty.'  "    The  basket  would  not  contain  them ;  therefore 

18 


•234 


ISMAILlA. 


the  larger  fish  were  laid  upon  grass  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat, 
and  we  returned  home. 

Howarti  now  divided  the  fish  according  to  orders,  and  ex- 
plained to  the  delighted  crowd  the  extraordinary  effect  of  the 
word  "Bismillah,"  which  insured  a  netful  at  every  cast. 

On  the  following  morning  at  sunrise  the  now  pious  Howarti 
went  out  as  usual  with  his  casting-net,  accompanied  by  a  sailor, 
who  carried  the  largest  basket  he  could  procure. 

We  had  moved  our  position,  and  there  was  no  sand-bank  in 
the  neighborhood. 

After  an  absence  of  about  two  hours,  Howarti  returned,  togeth- 
er with  his  companion  and  the  large  basket.  This  contained  a 
few  small  fish,  hardly  sufficient  for  our  breakfast. 

"Ah,  Howarti !"  I  exclaimed,  "you  are  a  bad  Mussulman;  you 
have  forgotten  to  say  '  Bismillah.'  " 

"Indeed,"  replied  the  dejected  fisherman,  "I  repeated  'Bismil- 
lah' at  every  cast;  but  it's  of  no  use  saying  'Bismillah'  in  deep 
water ;  nothing  will  catch  them  in  the  deep,  and  I  can  catch  them 
without  'Bismillah'  in  the  shallows." 

Howarti  was  not  a  fanatical  Mohammedan.  Poor  fellow !  he 
never  lived  to  return  with  us  to  Khartoum:  his  melancholy 
death  will  be  described  hereafter. 

In  fishing  in  the  lake,  Howarti  had  the  usual  charge  of  the 
proceedings.  We  dragged  a  boat  across  the  neck  of  land  from 
the  river,  and  having  launched  it  in  the  lake,  we  first  laid  a  stop- 
net  one  hundred  and  forty  yards  in  length  along  the  bank  of 
bulrushes  that  grew  in  water  about  five  feet  deep;  this  was  to 
stop  the  fish  from  running  into  the  rushes,  on  the  advance  of  the 
drag-net. 

We  now  dragged  a  portion  of  the  lake  toward  the  stop-net,  in- 
tending to  land  it  upon  an  incline,  where  the  water  was  extreme- 
ly shallow. 

The  "Forty  Thieves"  hauled  away  steadily  enough  until  the 
net  came  close  in.  At  that  moment  several  immense  fish  dashed 
about  within  the  narrowed  inclosure ;  these  created  such  excite- 
ment that  the  men  rushed  into  the  water  to  secure  them,  which 
ended  in  the  escape  of  the  greater  portion  of  the  fish. 

The  next  haul  was  very  successful ;  and  after  fishing  for  about 
two  hours,  we  caught  four  hundred  and  thirty-four  fine  fish,  one 
of  which  weighed  forty  pounds,  and  another  twenty-six  pounds. 
I  sent  two  hundred  to  head-quarters  for  the  troops. 

The  greater  number  of  these  fish  were  boulti  and  baggera,  both 
of  which  are  species  of  perch,  and  are  delicious  eating.    I  have 


"UME  EL  ETE." 


235 


never  seen  a  boulti  larger  than  five  pounds,  but  the  baggera  grows 
to  an  immense  size,  and  I  have  seen  them  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds  or  more.  I  once  weighed  a  baggera  upward  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  pounds ;  but  they  are  said  to  attain  a  weight 
of  several  hundreds. 

I  have  formerly  described  the  beauty  of  this  salmon-colored 
fish  in  "The  Nile  Tributaries  of  Abyssinia." 

It  is  well  known  that  in  all  countries  the  same  species  of  fish 
differs  in  flavor  and  quality,  according  to  the  water  in  which  it  is 
caught;  thus  the  boulti  and  baggera  are  almost  worthless  in  the 
Lower  Nile,  compared  with  the  same  fish  of  the  upper  river. 

Travelers  may  often  unjustly  condemn  a  fish  as  worthless,  be- 
cause it  may  have  been  out  of  season  when  they  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  eating  it. 

I  never  tasted  any  fresh-water  fish  superior  to  a  boulti,  slightly 
salted,  and  smoked  for  twelve  or  eighteen  hours. 

In  hot  climates  all  fish  should  be  split  down  the  back,  and 
then  laid  open;  they  should  then  be  salted,  and  should  lie  for  a 
few  hours  to  drain ;  after  which,  they  should  be  hung  over  the 
smoke  of  a  dry-wood  fire.  This  treatment  renders  them  deli- 
cious for  immediate  use ;  but  if  required  to  keep,  they  must  be 
smoked  for  a  couple  of  days,  and  then  be  highly  dried  in  the  sun. 
*  *  *  *  *  *  * 

The  14th  of  December  was  the  Mohammedan  holiday  called 
the  "Ume  el  Ete,"  on  which  day  every  person,  however  poor  he 
or  she  may  be,  is  supposed  to  dress  in  new  clothes. 

We  had  now  been  upward  of  twelve  months  without  commu- 
nication with  Khartoum.  The  soldiers'  clothes  were  reduced  to 
rags,  as  they  had  suffered  much  from  hard  work  and  fighting  in 
thorny  bush.  The  whole  force  was  in  despair:  they  were  in  ar- 
rears of  pay,  they  were  without  clothes;  the  festival  was  close  at 
hand,  and  instead  of  turning  out  in  finery,  they  would  be  dirty, 
dingy,  and  ragged. 

Every  one  was  downcast.  The  troops  could  not  possibly  start 
with  me  to  the  interior,  to  represent  the  government,  in  a  state 
of  rags  or  nudity. 

On  December  13th,  the  day  preceding  the  festival,  I  summon- 
ed the  officers  to  the  magazine,  in  which  I  fortunately  had  all 
that  could  be  required.  The  merchandise  and  general  stores 
that  I  had  purchased  in  England  had  no  connection  with  the 
army  clothing  and  stores  which  should  have  been  supplied  for 
the  troops  from  Khartoum.  This  supply  had  been  impossible, 
owing  to  the  state  of  the  river. 


236 


ISMAILlA. 


I  served  out  new  clothing  for  the  entire  expedition.  I  ar- 
ranged that  two  hundred  and  twelve  officers  and  men  should 
accompany  me  to  the  interior.  To  these  I  gave  scarlet  flannel 
shirts  and  white  trowsers.  The  officers  received  all  that  they  re- 
quired, and  the  men  were  allowed  to  purchase  from  the  govern- 
ment stores  any  articles  that  they  considered  necessary  for  them- 
selves or  their  wives. 

On  December  14th  the  cannons  fired  at  sunrise  to  proclaim 
the  holiday.  I  rode  up  to  head-quarters,  and  inspected  the  troops 
on  parade,  all  in  their  new  uniforms.  Every  man  was  in  a  good 
humor,  and  they  burst  out  into  three  cheers  as  I  completed  the 
inspection  and  addressed  a  few  words  to  them. 

The  men's  wives  were  decked  out  with  gaudy  colors,  and  were 
happy  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  red  and  yellow. 

The  troops  and  sailors  were  astonished  at  the  unfailing  con- 
tents of  the  magazines,  which  established  confidence  that,  should 
we  be  positively  cut  off  from  all  communication  with  Khartoum, 
we  were  nevertheless  independent  of  supplies. 

Every  thing  was  in  order  in  Gondokora.  The  natives  were  at 
peace;  food  was  abundant ;  the  station  securely  fortified. 

I  now  determined  to  penetrate  into  the  south,  and  to  carry 
a  steamer  in  sections  to  N.  lat.  3°  32',  where  she  would  be  con- 
structed by  the  Englishmen,  and  launched  on  the  navigable  river 
above  the  last  cataracts,  to  open  the  communication  with  the  Al- 
bert N'yanza. 

All  intrigues  and  opposition  to  the  expedition  had  been  over- 
come. Although  my  force  was  small,  the  men  were  full  of  con- 
fidence, and  promised  to  follow  wheresoever  I  might  lead. 


PLASS  FOB  THE  FUTURE. 


237 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  ADVA  NCE  S  0  UTH. 

Military  critics  will  condemn  my  arrangements  for  an  ad- 
vance south. 

My  original  plans  had  been  well  laid.  A  line  of  fortified  posts 
was  to  have  been  established  throughout  the  country  at  intervals 
of  three  days'  march.  This  would  have  assured  an  open  commu- 
nication with  Gondokoro. 

Unfortunately,  my  original  force  had  been  three  hundred  and 
fifty  men  short  of  the  number  stipulated,  and  the  one  thousand 
two  hundred  men  that  had  once  been  reviewed  at  Gondokoro 
had  been  reduced  to  five  hundred. 

I  could  not  leave  a  smaller  force  at  head-quarters  than  three 
hundred  and  forty  men,  including  the  fifty -two  sailors;  thus  I 
was  left  with  only  two  hundred  and  twelve  officers  and  men  to 
commence  a  long  and  uncertain  journey  directly  away  from  my 
base,  without  the  power  of  communication  in  the  event  of  unfore- 
seen difficulty. 

I  had  already  experienced  the  treachery  of  natives,  upon  whom 
no  reliance  could  be  placed. 

My  intention  was  to  leave  the  Englishmen,  with  the  steamer 
sections,  at  a  station  to  be  formed  at  Ibrahime'yeh,  on  the  naviga- 
ble Nile,  N.  lat.  3°  32',  together  with  a  small  garrison. 

I  should  then  endeavor  to  form  an  irregular  corps  of  some  of 
Abou  Saood's  men,  who  would  be  thrown  out  of  employment  at 
the  expiration  of  the  contract.    This  was  near  at  hand. 

An  irregular  corps  of  six  hundred  men  would,  in  addition  to 
my  two  hundred,  enable  me  to  complete  the  annexation  of  the 
country,  and  to  finish  my  work  before  the  re-enforcements  should 
arrive  from  Khartoum. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  men  of  Abou  Saood  might  refuse  to 
enlist  in  government  service.  Already  they  had  been  rendered 
passively  hostile  by  the  influence  of  Abou  Saood.  They  had  se- 
cretly encouraged  the  Baris  in  their  war  against  the  government; 
they  might  repeat  this  conduct,  and  incite  the  tribes  against  us  in 
the  interior. 

Should  this  occur,  I  should  be  placed  in  a  dangerous  position 


238 


ISMAILlA. 


with  so  small  a  force,  as  it  would  be  necessary  to  detach  half  the 
little  body  to  march  to  Gondokoro  for  supports. 

I  could  not  defer  my  departure  in  the  hope  of  receiving  re-en- 
forcements from  Khartoum,  as  their  arrival  would  be  quite  un- 
certain, owing  to  the  state  of  the  river. 

Should  I  delay  at  Gondokoro,  the  dry  season  would  pass  by ; 
the  ground,  now  baked  hard  by  the  sun,  would  become  soft,  and 
would  render  transport  by  carts  impossible. 

The  torrents  would  become  impassable  during  the  rains,  espe- 
cially the  river  Asua,  which  in  the  wet  season  cuts  off  all  com- 
munication with  the  south.  This  dangerous  river  was  very  im- 
portant, as  it  would  prevent  a  retreat,  should  such  a  movement 
be  necessary  during  the  rainy  season. 

I  was  well  aware  of  the  difficulties  of  the  position,  but  I  had 
only  the  choice  of  two  evils.  If  I  remained  at  Gondokoro,  my 
term  of  service  would  expire  fruitlessly.  I  should  simply  have 
reduced  the  Baris,  and  have  established  the  station.  Abou  Saood 
would  remain  in  the  interior,  among  his  numerous  slave  estab- 
lishments, to  ridicule  my  impotence,  and  to  defy  my  orders  that 
he  should  quit  the  country.  He  would  thus  continue  in  the 
heart  of  Africa  until  I  should  have  returned  helplessly  to  En- 
gland. He  would  then  have  resumed  his  original  work  of  spoli- 
ation.   The  expedition  would  have  been  a  failure. 

On  the  other  hand,  should  my  small  force  meet  with  defeat  or 
destruction,  both  the  military  and  the  civil  world  would  exclaim, 
"Serve  him  right!  the  expedition  to  the  interior  made  under 
such  circumstances  showed  a  great  want  of  judgment — a  total  ig- 
norance of  the  first  rules  in  military  tactics.  What  could  he  ex- 
pect, without  an  established  communication,  at  a  distance  of  three 
or  four  hundred  miles  from  his  base  ?  Simple  madness ! — not  fit 
to  command !"  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

I  knew  the  risks  and  the  responsibility ;  but  if  I  remained  pas- 
sive, I  should  be  beaten.  I  had  often  got  through  difficulties, 
and  if  risks  are  to  be  measured  in  Africa  by  ordinary  calcula- 
tions, there  would  be  little  hope  of  progress. 

I  determined  to  carry  as  large  a  supply  of  ammunition  as  could 
be  transported,  together  with  sufficient  merchandise,  carefully  as- 
sorted, to  establish  a  legitimate  ivory  trade  in  my  old  friend 
Kamrasi's  country,  Unyoro. 

The  Englishmen  would  be  occupied  in  the  construction  of  the 
steamer  at  Ibrahimeyeh,  while  I  should  accomplish  my  mission 
farther  south. 

I  selected  my  officers  and  men,  carefully  avoiding  Egyptians, 


THE  HOUSEHOLD. 


239 


with  the  exception  of  my  true  friends  and  aids-de-camp,  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Abd-el-Kader,  Captain  Mohammed  Deii,  of  the  "For- 
ty Thieves,"  and  the  faithful  Monsoor. 

The  officers  that  had  served  in  Mexico  under  Marshal  Bazaine 
were — Major  Abdullah  ;  Captain  Morgian  SherrifF ;  Captain  Ab- 
dullah ;  Lieutenants  Morgian  and  Ferritch  ;  and  several  sergeants, 
corporals,  etc. 

I  also  included  three  sailors  belonging  to  my  diahbeeah,  as 
they  would  be  useful  in  the  event  of  boating  excursions.  These 
men  were  Jali,  Mohammed,  and  Howarti;  all  of  whom  were 
armed,  and  fell  into  the  line  of  rank  and  file  as  soldiers.  . 

The  No.  3  steamer  had  been  packed  with  much  care.  The 
carts  had  been  loaded  with  the  heavy  portions  that  could  not  be 
transported  by  carriers,  and  we  had  proved  our  capability  of 
traveling,  provided  the  Baris  of  Bedden  would  remain  faithful  to 
their  promise.  Every  cart  had  therefore  been  dismounted,  and 
the  material  for  the  expedition  was  stowed  on  board  six  vessels. 

Our  servants  had  much  improved.  The  negro  boys  who  had 
been  liberated  had  grown  into  most  respectable  lads,  and  had 
learned  to  wait  at  table,  and  to  do  all  the  domestic  work  required. 
First  of  the  boys  in  intelligence  was  the  Abyssinian,  Amarn. 
This  delicate  little  fellow  was  perfectly  civilized,  and  alwaj^s  look- 
ed forward  to  accompanying  his  mistress  to  England.  The  next 
was  Saat,  who  had  received  that  name  in  memory  of  my  good 
boy  who  died  during  my  former  voyage.  Saat  was  a  very  fine, 
powerful  lad,  who  was  exceedingly  attached  to  me,  but  he  was 
not  quick  at  learning.  Bellaal  was  a  thick-set,  sturdy  boy  of 
fourteen,  with  rather  a  savage  disposition,  but  quick  at  learning. 

My  favorite  was  Kinyon  (the  crocodile),  the  volunteer. 

This  was  a  very  handsome  negro  boy  of  the  Bari  tribe,  who, 
being  an  orphan,  came  to  my  station  and  volunteered  to  serve 
me  at  the  commencement  of  the  Bari  war. 

Kinyon  was  tall  and  slight,  with  a  pair  of  very  large,  express- 
ive eyes.  The  name  Kinyon,  or  crocodile  in  the  Bari  language, 
had  been  given  him  because  he  was  long  and  thin.  Both  he  and 
Amarn  were  thoroughly  good  boys,  and  never  received  either 
chastisement  or  even  a  scolding  throughout  a  long  expedition. 

Jarvah  was  also  a  good  lad,  who  went  by  the  name  of  the  "fat 
boy."  I  should  like  to  have  exhibited  him  at  Exeter  Hall  as  a 
specimen  of  physical  comfort. 

Jarvah  had  a  good  berth ;  he  was  cook's  mate.  His  superior 
was  a  great  character,  who,  from  the  low  position  of  a  slave  pre- 
sented by  the  king  of  the  Shillooks,  Quat  Kare,  had  risen  from 


240 


ISMAILlA. 


cook's  mate  to  the  most  important  position  of  the  household. 
Abdullah  was  now  the  cook !  He  had  studied  the  culinary  art 
under  my  first-rate  Arab  cook,  who,  having  received  his  dis- 
charge, left  the  management  of  our  stomachs  to  his  pupil.  Ab- 
dullah was  an  excellent  cook,  and  a  very  good  fellow,  but  he  was 
dull  at  learning  Arabic.  He  invariably  distinguished  cocks  and 
hens  as  "bulls"  and  "women." 

The  last  and  the  smallest  boy  of  the  household  was  little 
Cuckoo  (or  Kookoo). 

Cuckoo  was  a  sturdy  child  of  about  six  years  old :  this  boy 
had,  I  believe,  run  away  from  his  parents  in  the  Bari  during  the 
war,  and  had  come  to  Morgian,  our  interpreter,  when  food  was 
scarce  among  the  tribe.  Following  the  dictates  of  his  appetite, 
he  had  been  attracted  by  the  savory  smell  of  Abdullah's  kitch- 
en, and  he  had  drawn  nearer  and  nearer  to  our  establishment, 
until  at  length  by  playing  with  the  boys,  and  occasionally  being 
invited  to  share  in  their  meals,  Cuckoo  had  become  incorporated 
with  the  household. 

Abdullah  and  the  six  boys  formed  the  native  domestic  corps. 
My  wife,  who  was  their  commanding  officer,  had  them  all  dress- 
ed in  uniform.  They  had  various  suits  of  short,  loose  trowsers 
reaching  half-way  down  the  calf  of  the  leg,  with  a  shirt  or  blouse 
secured  at  the  waist  with  a  leather  belt  and  buckle.  These  belts 
were  made  in  England,  and  were  about  six  feet  long ;  thus  they 
passed  twice  round  the  waist,  and  were  very  useful  when  travel- 
ing, in  case  of  a  strap  and  buckle  being  required  suddenly. 

Each  boy  wore  the  fez,  or  tarboosh.  The  uniforms  were  very 
becoming.  There  was  dark  blue  trimmed  with  red  facings;  pure 
white  with  red  facings,  for  high-days  and  holidays;  scarlet  flan- 
nel suits  complete ;  and  a  strong  cotton  suit  dyed  brown  for 
traveling  and  rough  wear. 

The  boys  were  trained  to  change  their  clothes  before  they  wait- 
ed at  the  dinner -table,  and  to  return  to  their  working -dresses 
after  dinner,  when  washing-up  was  necessary.  In  this  habit  they 
were  rigidly  particular ;  and  every  boy  then  tied  his  dinner-suit 
in  a  parcel,  and  suspended  it  to  the  roof  of  his  hut,  to  be  ready 
for  the  next  meal. 

There  was  a  regular  hour  for  every  kind  of  work ;  and  this 
domestic  discipline  had  so  far  civilized  the  boys  that  they  were 
of  the  greatest  possible  comfort  to  ourselves. 

The  washing-up  after  dinner  was  not  a  very  long  operation, 
as  half  a  dozen  plates  and  the  same  number  of  knives  and  folks, 
with  a  couple  of  dishes,  were  divided  among  six  servants. 


LAST  INSTRUCTIONS. 


241 


Directly  after  this  work  play  was  allowed.  If  the  night  were 
moonlight,  the  girls  were  summoned,  and  dancing  commenced. 
During  the  day  their  games  were  either  playing  at  soldiers,  or 
throwing  lances  at  marks,  etc. 

Thieving  was  quite  unknown  among  the  boys,  all  of  whom 
were  scrupulously  honest.  The  sugar  might  be  left  among  them, 
or  even  milk ;  but  none  of  the  boys  I  have  mentioned  would 
have  condescended  to  steal.  They  had  been  so  well  instructed 
and  cared  for  by  my  wife,  that  in  many  ways  they  might  have 
been  excellent  examples  for  boys  of  their  class  in  England. 

The  girls  and  women  did  not  appear  to  so  much  advantage  as 
the  boys.  These  comprised  old  Karka,  young  Dam  Zeneb, 
Sallaamto,  Fad-el-Kereem,  Marrasilla,  and  Faddeela.  They  had 
learned  to  wash,  but  could  never  properly  fold  the  linen.  Iron- 
ing and  starching  were  quite  out  of  the  question,  and  would  have 
been  as  impossible  to  them  as  algebra.  Some  of  these  girls  were 
rather  pretty,  and  they  knew  it.  In  moral  character  Dam  Zeneb 
and  Sallaamto  were  the  best.  Fad-el-Kereem  was  the  most  in- 
telligent; but  she  was  a  young  woman  of  strong  passions,  either 
for  love  or  war,  and  required  peculiar  management. 

They  were  all  dressed  in  similar  uniforms  to  the  boys,  with 
only  a  slight  difference  in  the  length  of  their  blouses. 

We  had  sent  little  Mostoora  to  the  care  of  Djiaffer  Pasha  at 
Khartoum  to  be  educated,  before  we  left  Tewflkeeyah.  That 
clever  little  creature  had  learned  English  and  Arabic  sufficient- 
ly to  converse ;  and  although  not  far  removed  from  infancy,  she 
was  more  intelligent  than  any  of  the  adults.  She  was  much  too 
young  for  a  long  voyage.  .  .  .  Every  thing  was  ready  for  the 
start.  I  left  written  instructions  with  the  colonel,  Kaouf  Bey, 
also  with  Mr.  Higginbotham,  respecting  the  conduct  of  the  works 
during  my  absence.  I  also  gave  the  necessary  orders  to  Mr. 
Marcopolo;  thus  all  heads  of  departments  knew  their  positions. 

I  sent  off  a  detachment  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  to  drive  a 
herd  of  several  thousand  cattle  and  sheep  to  a  well-known  rocky 
ravine  about  six  miles  south,  which  was  to  be  the  rendezvous. 

Before  leaving,  I  made  rather  a  pretty  shot  with  the  "  Dutch- 
man" from  the  poop-deck  of  my  diahbeeah  at  a  crocodile  bask- 
ing on  a  sand-bank.    The  first  shot  through  the  shoulder  com- 

o  o 

pletely  paralyzed  it.  A  second  bullet  from  the  left-hand  barrel 
struck  only  three  inches  from  the  first.  Lieutenant  Baker  deter- 
mined to  measure  the  distance ;  thus  he  took  the  boat  with  the 
end  of  a  long  line,  and  we  found  it  exactly  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-six yards. 


242 


ISMAILlA. 


The  "Dutchman"  was  the  best  rifle  I  ever  shot  with,  and  was 
quite  invaluable  throughout  the  expedition. 

I  bad  served  out  a  month's  rations  to  the  men,  and  my  last  in- 
structions to  Raouf  Bey  were  to  look  well  after  Livingstone,  and 
provide  for  his  comfort,  should  he  appear  during  my  absence. 

On  January  22d,  1872,  we  started  at  8  A.M.,  when  I  took  leave 
of  my  good  friend  and  excellent  engineer -in -chief,  Mr.  Edwin 
Higginbotham.  I  little  thought  that  we  should  never  meet 
again. 

o 

The  wind  was  light  and  variable,  and  my  diahbeeah  soon  over- 
took the  heavier  vessels.  In  the  evening  we  all  joined  and  con- 
centrated our  forces  at  the  rocky  ravine  with  the  detachment  that 
protected  the  cattle. 

On  the  following  day,  January  23d,  we  all  started  in  excellent 
spirits.  The  soldiers  knew  the  country,  and  every  one  appeared 
to  share  the  enjoyment  of  adventure.  The  people  had  learned 
to  depend  upon  my  guidance ;  and  although  the  interior  of  the 
country  was  unknown  to  them,  they  were  quite  contented  that 
I  had  had  a  personal  experience  of  the  far  south,  and  that  they 
were  safe  in  my  hands. 

The  stream  was  very  powerful,  and  the  wind  was  so  variable 
that  it  was  necessary  to  tow  the  vessels.  This  would  have  been 
easy  work  if  the  river  had  been  deep  in  all  parts,  but  unfortunate- 
ly the  water  was  rather  low,  and  many  extensive  sand-banks  ne- 
cessitated long  detours. 

The  men  were  then  obliged  to  wade  hip-deep,  and  to  tow  the 
vessels  round  the  banks. 

I  never  saw  the  people  in  such  high  spirits.  They  were  not 
contented  with  a  walking  pace,  but  they  raced  with  each  other, 
splashing  through  the  water,  and  hurrying  round  the  points  of 
the  sand-banks,  until  they  once  more  reached  dry  ground.  Then 
even  the  women  and  boys  jumped  ashore,  and  laying  hold  of  the 
tow-rope,  joined  the  men  in  singing;  and  running  forward  along 
the  hard  bank,  they  made  the  diahbeeah  surge  through  the  water. 

This  fun  had  continued  for  some  hours,  and  I  rejoiced  that  all 
hearts  seemed  to  have  at  length  united  in  the  work.  I  had  no 
fanatics  with  me.  The  black  officers  were  excellent  fellows,  now 
that  they  were  relieved  from  a  certain  influence  at  head-quarters. 
Abd-el-Kader  was  as  true  as  gold.  Monsoor  was  a  Christian, 
and  my  "  Forty  Thieves"  were  staunch,  brave  fellows  who  would 
go  through  fire. 

Ali  Nedjar  was,  as  usual,  reveling  in  strength  and  activity,  and 
was  now  foremost  in  the  work  of  towing  the  diahbeeah. 


DEATH  OF  ALI  NED  JAB. 


243 


A  sudden  bend  in  the  river  had  caused  a  small  sand-bank.  It 
was  necessary  to  descend  from  the  high  shore  to  tow  the  vessel 
round  the  promontory. 

Men,  women,  and  children  jumped  down  and  waded  along  the 
edge  of  the  bank. 

As  the  diahbeeah  turned  the  sharp  point,  I  noticed  that  the 
water  was  exceedingly  deep  close  to  the  sand -bank,  and  the 
stream  was  running  like  a  mill-race. 

Fearing  some  accident  to  the  children,  I  ordered  all  who  could 
not  swim  to  come  on  board  the  diahbeeah.  At  that  time  the 
bow  of  the  vessel  was  actually  touching  the  sand  ;  but  the  stern, 
having  swung  out  in  the  stream,  might  have  been  about  fifteen 
feet  from  the  edge  of  the  bank  in  very  deep  water. 

When  the  order  was  given  to  come  on  board,  many  of  the  peo- 
ple, in  the  ebullition  of  spirits,  leaped  heedlessly  into  the  water 
amidships,  instead  of  boarding  the  vessel  by  the  forepart,  which 
touched  the  sand.  These  were  dragged  on  board  with  consider- 
able difficulty. 

The  boy  Saat  would  have  been  drowned,  had  not  Monsoor 
saved  him.  In  the  confusion,  when  several  were  struggling  in 
the  water,  I  noticed  AH  Nedjar,  who  could  not  swim,  battling 
frantically  with  his  hands  in  such  a  manner  that  I  saw  the  poor 
fellow  had  lost  his  head.  He  was  not  three  feet  from  the  vessel's 
side. 

My  four  life-buoys  were  hung  on  open  hooks  at  the  four 
corners  of  the  poop -deck;  thus,  without  one  moment's  delay,  I 
dropped  a  buoy  almost  into  his  hands.  This  he  immediately 
seized  with  both  arms,  and  I  of  course  thought  he  was  safe :  the 
buoy  naturally  canted  up  as  he  first  clutched  it,  and,  instead  of 
holding  on,  to  my  astonishment  I  saw  him  relinquish  his  grasp ! 

The  next  moment  the  strong  current  had  hurried  the  buoy- 
ant safeguard  far  away.    A  red  tarboosh  followed  the  life-buoy, 

floating  near  it  on  the  surface   Ali  Nedjar  was  gone! — 

drowned!    He  never  rose  again  

I  was  dreadfully  shocked  at  the  loss  of  my  good  soldier ;  he 
had  been  much  beloved  by  us  all.  We  could  hardly  believe 
that  he  was  really  gone  forever.  Who  would  now  lead  the  song 
in  the  moonlight  nights,  or  be  the  first  in  every  race? 

I  had  quickly  thrown  every  life-buoy  into  the  river,  as  How- 
arti,  Mohammed,  and  others  of  the  best  swimmers  had  vainly 
plunged  after  him,  and  were  now  searching  fruitlessly  for  his 
body,  carried  away  by  the  powerful  current.  The  boat  was  sent 
after  them  immediately,  and  they  were  brought  on  board. 


244 


ISMAILlA. 


The  mirth  of  the  diahbeeah  had  vanished ;  the  general  fa- 
vorite had  so  suddenly  disappeared  from  among  us  that  no  one 
spoke.    The  women  sat  down  and  cried. 

His  knapsack  and  rifle  were  brought  to  me,  and  a  list  having 
been  taken  of  his  clothes  and  ammunition,  I  cut  his  name,  "Ali," 
upon  the  stock  of  his  Snider,  which  I  reserved  for  the  'best  man 
I  should  be  able  to  select.  There  was  no  better  epitaph  for  so 
good  a  soldier  than  his  simple  name  engraved  on  his  trusty  rifle. 

That  evening  every  one  was  sad,  and  my  people  all  refused 
their  food  

On  the  following  day,  the  wind  and  stream  being  adverse,  we 
had  much  trouble  in  avoiding  the  sand-banks,  and  our  progress 
was  so  slow  that  we  only  reached  the  base  of  the  rocky  hill  Re- 
giaf. Here  I  resolved  to  wait  for  the  heavier  vessels,  which  were 
far  behind. 

The  natives  were  now  friendly ;  and  on  January  25th  Lieu- 
tenant Baker  accompanied  me  to  the  summit  of  Regiaf,  to  take 
observations  of  compass  bearings  of  all  the  various  mountains 
and  prominent  points  of  the  country. 

At  the  western  base  of  Regiaf  there  is  a  very  curious  rock,  sup- 
ported upon  a  pedestal  that  forms  a  gigantic  table. 

This  great  slab  of  syenite  is  one  of  many  that  have  detached 
and  fallen  as  the  original  mountain  decomposed. 

I  obtained  my  measuring-tape  from  the  diahbeeah,  which  gave 
the  following  results : 

Feet.  Inches. 


Length  of  slab   45  4 

Breadth  of  ditto   45  8 

Thickness  of  ditto   4  9 

Height  from  ground   10  5 

Circumference  of  clay  pedestal   69  0 


This  rock  must  have  chanced  to  fall  upon  a  mass  of  extremely 
hard  clay.  The  denudation  of  the  sloping  surface,  caused  by  the 
heavy  rains  of  many  centuries,  must  be  equal  to  the  present 
height  of  the  clay  pedestal,  as  all  the  exterior  has  been  washed 
away,  and  the  level  reduced.  The  clay  pedestal  is  the  original 
earth,  which,  having  been  protected  from  the  weather  by  the 
stone  roof,  remains  intact. 

The  Baris  seemed  to  have  some  reverence  for  this  stone ;  and 
we  were  told  that  it  was  dangerous  to  sleep  beneath  it,  as  many 
people  who  had  tried  the  experiment  had  died. 

I  believe  this  superstition  is  simply  the  result  of  some  old  le- 
gends concerning  the  death  of  a  person  who  may  have  been  kill- 


NOT  ONE  WOMAN  OB  CHILD! 


245 


ed  in  his  sleep  by  a  stone  that  probably  detached  and  fell  from 
the  under  surface  of  the  slab. 

I  examined  the  rock  carefully,  and  found  many  pieces  that 
gave  warning  of  scaling  off.  Several  large  flakes,  each  weighing 
some  hundred- weight,  lay  beneath  the  table -rock,  upon  the  un- 
der surface  of  which  could  be  distinctly  traced  the  mould  of  the 
slab  beneath. 

On  January  27th  we  arrived,  with  all  the  vessels,  at  the  foot 
of  the  cataracts,  in  K  lat.  4°  38'.  This  is  a  very  lovely  spot,  as 
the  rocky  islands  are  covered  with  rich  green  forest;  the  verdure 
being  perpetual,  as  the  roots  of  the  trees  are  well  nourished  by 
water. 

Our  old  friend  Bedden  met  us  with  a  number  of  his  people, 
and  came  on  board  the  diahbeeah.  He  professed  to  be  quite 
ready  to  convey  our  baggage  to  the  south,  and  I  proposed  that 
his  people  should  go  as  far  as  Lobore,  about  sixty  miles  from  this 
spot,  where  I  knew  we  could  procure  carriers,  as  during  my  for- 
mer journey  the  natives  of  Lobore  were  the  only  people  who 
could  be  depended  upon. 

Bedden  seemed  determined  to  help  us ;  and  I  really  believed 
that  our  luck  had  arrived  at  last,  and  that  I  should  be  able  to 
convey  the  carts,  together  with  the  steamer,  to  the  navigable  por- 
tion of  the  Nile,  in  N.  lat.  3°  32'. 

I  determined  to  be  very  civil  to  the  great  sheik,  Bedden ;  I 
therefore  arranged  with  him  that  the  work  should  be  entirely  in 
his  hands,  and  that  he  should  represent  the  government  as  my 
vakeel.  At  the  same  time  I  gave  him  a  grand  cloak  of  purple 
and  silver  tissue,  together  with  a  tin  helmet,  and  turban  of  cobalt- 
blue  serge;  also  a  looking-glass,  and  a  quantity  of  beads  of  vari- 
ous colors. 

The  country  was  dried  up,  and  there  was  only  scant  herbage 
for  my  large  herd  of  cattle,  the  half  of  which  I  promised  to  give 
Bedden  if  he  would  carry  our  baggage  to  Lobore. 

The  sheik  Bedden  returned  to  his  village  to  make  arrange- 
ments with  his  people  for  the  journey. 

Somehow  or  other,  as  he  took  leave  and  marched  off  in  his 
grand  cloak  of  silver  and  purple,  I  had  certain  misgivings  of  his 
sincerity. 

Although  great  numbers  of  natives  thronged  the  country,  and 
came  down  to  the  vessels,  there  was  not  one  woman  or  child.  The 
absence  of  women  and  children  is  a  sure  sign  of  evil  intentions. 
My  wife,  whose  experience  was  equal  to  my  own,  at  once  ex- 
pressed her  suspicions.    Had  the  natives  been  honest  and  sin- 


246 


ISMAILlA. 


cere,  their  women  would  assuredly  have  come  to  visit  her  from 
simple  curiosity. 

Not  only  was  there  an  absence  of  women  and  children,  but  the 
cattle  had  been  driven  from  the  country.  There  were  several 
small  cattle  zareebas  within  half  a  mile  of  the  vessels,  situated 
upon  the  high  ground.  I  went  to  visit  them,  as  though  simply 
strolling  for  my  amusement ;  the  dung  of  cattle  was  fresh,  show- 
ing that  the  zareebas  had  been  occupied  during  the  past  night, 
but  the  herd  had  evidently  been  driven  far  away. 

Bedden's  people  had  never  been  attacked  by  the  slave-traders, 
as  his  tribe  was  considered  too  powerful ;  he  had,  therefore,  no 
cause  for  suspicion. 

Unfortunately  my  past  experience  of  the  Bari  natives  had 
proved  that  kindness  was  thrown  away  upon  them,  and  that 
nothing  could  be  done  with  them  until  their  inferiority  had  been 
proved  by  force  of  arms. 

Bedden  had  never  suffered.  He  had  promised  to  assist ;  but  no 
promise  of  a  native  is  worth  more  than  the  breath  of  his  mouth. 
If  he  failed  me  now,  the  object  of  my  enterprise  would  be  lost.  I 
should  not  be  able  to  move. 

All  my  care  and  trouble  would  have  been  thrown  away. 

I  was  very  anxious ;  but,  without  mentioning  my  suspicions,  I 
ordered  all  the  heavy  vessels  to  cross  over  to  the  east  side  of  the 
river,  to  prepare  for  disembarking  the  carts  and  general  effects. 

On  the  following  morning  the  sheik  Bedden  arrived  to  visit 
me,  with  many  of  his  people.  I  had  erected  a  tent  on  shore  in 
which  I  could  receive  him. 

I  was  struck  with  a  peculiar  change  in  his  manner,  and,  after 
a  short  conversation,  he  asked  me  why  I  had  sent  the  vessels  to 
the  east  side. 

I  replied  that  they  would  begin  to  unload  and  prepare  for  the 
journey. 

II  Who  is  going  to  carry  all  your  baggage?"  continued  Bedden,  as 
though  the  idea  had  occurred  to  him  for  the  first  time. 

I  was  perfectly  aghast  at  this  cool  and  prostrating  question. 
My  suspicions  had  been  well  founded. 

I  explained  to  Bedden  that  I  had  arrived  according  to  his  ex- 
press invitation,  given  some  time  before,  when  he  had  promised 
that  his  men  should  convey  my  things  as  far  as  Lobore.  I  pre- 
tended that  his  question  had  now  been  asked  simply  to  amuse 
me,  and  I  bested  him  in  earnest  to  lose  no  time  in  collecting  his 
people,  as  I  should  require  at  least  two  thousand  carriers. 

Bedden  continued  in  a  cold,  stoical  manner,  and  declared  that 


NATIVES  BEFVSE  TO  ACT  AS  CARRIERS. 


247 


his  people  were  determined  not  to  work  for  me;  they  had  never 
before  carried  for  "  the  Turks,"  and  nothing  would  induce  them 
to  engage  in  such  a  labor. 

I  begged  him  to  remember  the  importance  of  his  promise, 
upon  which  I  had  depended  when  making  all  my  arrangements 
for  the  journey.  If  he  failed  me  now,  I  should  be  entirely  ru- 
ined ;  whereas  if  he  assisted  me,  as  I  had  relied  upon  his  honor, 
we  should  always  remain  the  firmest  friends,  and  he  would  be 
benefited  by  a  grand  herd  of  cattle,  and  would  receive  most  valu- 
able presents. 

He  now  declared  "  that  his  people  had  taken  the  matter  into 
consideration,  and  they  were  quite  determined.  They  would  not 
listen  to  him,  or  be  persuaded  to  any  thing  they  disliked.  They 
never  had  carried,  and  they  never  would." 

I  had  the  two  natives  with  me  who  had  resided  for  some  time 
in  our  station  at  Gondokoro.  One  of  these  men,  named  Pittia, 
endeavored  to  persuade  Bedden  to  beat  his  nogara  (big  drum), 
and  to  summon  the  tribe ;  he  might  then  in  my  presence  explain 
the  work  proposed,  and  his  people  would  see  the  cows  which 
they  would  receive  as  payment  for  their  labor. 

Bedden  looked  very  ill  at  his  ease;  but  after  some  delay  he 
rose  from  his  seat,  and  declared  his  intention  of  immediately 
beating  his  nogara.  He  took  leave,  and  departed  with  his  peo- 
ple. 

From  my  experience  of  Baris,  I  felt  sure  that  I  should  never 
see  Bedden  again. 

He  had  hardly  left  the  tent,  when  Pittia  exclaimed,  "I  will 
follow  him,' and  listen  to  what  he  says  to  his  people.  I  believe 
he  will  tell  them  not  to  carry  the  loads."  Pittia  immediately 
disappeared. 

Many  natives  had  collected  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  where 
my  vessels  had  now  formed  a  line  along  the  bank ;  I  therefore 
crossed  over  in  the  dingy  to  converse  with  them,  in  the  faint 
hope  of  securing  carriers. 

The  natives  were  squatting  about  in  small  groups,  and  they 
listened  coldly  to  all  I  had  to  say.  The  only  answer  I  could  ob- 
tain was,  "  that  they  belonged  to  Bedden,  and  if  he  told  them  to 
carry  our  things,  they  would  obey;  but  without  his  order  they 
could  do  nothing." 

This  is  the  regular  African  diplomacy  when  work  is  required. 
The  people  say,  "  We  must  receive  orders  from  our  sheik."  The 
sheik  says,  "I  am  willing,  but  my  people  will  not  obey  me."  It 
is  this  passive  resistance  that  may  ruin  an  expedition. 

19 


I 


248  ISMAILlA. 

My  first  exploration  in  Africa  must  necessarily  have  failed, 
bad  I  not  been  provided  with  transport  animals.  The  readers  of 
"The  Albert  N'yanza"  may  remember  that  I  could  not  obtain  a 
single  native,  and  that  I  started  from  Gondokoro  by  moonlight 
without  even  an  interpreter  or  guide. 

The  horrible  state  of  the  White  Nile  had  prevented  all  possi- 
bility of  conveying  camels  from  Khartoum.  My  carts  and  camel 
harness  were  prepared,  but  the  invaluable  animals  could  not  be 
transported.  I  was  thus  dependent  upon  such  rotten  reeds  as 
native  promises. 

No  one  who  is  inexperienced  in  African  travel  can  realize  the 
hopeless  position  of  being  left  with  a  mass  of  material  without 
any  possibility  of  transporting  it. 

The  traveler  may  sit  upon  his  box  until  he  stiffens  into  a 
monument  of  patience  and  despair,  but  the  box  will  not  move 
without  a  carrier.  There  is  only  one  method  of  traveling  suc- 
cessfully, and  this  necessitates  the  introduction  of  transport 
animals,  where  trie  baggage  is  heavy  and  upon  an  extensive 
scale. 

I  felt  perfectly  helpless.  My  colonel,  Abd-el-Kader,  advised 
me  to  seize  the  sheik  Bedden,  and  to  tie  him  up  until  his  people 
should  have  delivered  all  the  effects  at  Lobore. 

This  I  might  have  done,  but  it  might  also  have  occasioned 
war,  which  would  prevent  the  possibility  of  securing  carriers.  I 
should  also  incur  the  responsibility  of  having  provoked  the  war 
by  an  act  that,  although  necessary,  could  hardly  be  justified  ac- 
cording to  civilized  ideas. 

I  had  very  little  hope,  but  I  had  so*frequently  seen  a  sudden 
ray  of  good  fortune  when  all  had  looked  dark  and  cloudy,  that  I 
went  to  bed  at  night  with  the  hope  that  something  might  turn 
up  in  our  favor  to-morrow. 

On  January  29th,  1872,  Pittia  returned  with  bad  news.  Bed- 
den had  sent  me  a  laconic  message  that  "he  should  not  call 
again,  and  that  his  people  declined  to  carry  the  baggage." 

Pittia  explained  that  the  natives  had  all  left  the  neighborhood, 
together  with  their  sheik,  therefore  it  would  be  well  not  to  allow 
the  soldiers  to  stray  far  from  camp. 

This  was  the  gross  ingratitude  exhibited  by  Bedden  and  his 
people.  Not  only  had  I  scrupulously  respected  all  their  proper- 
ty, but  I  had  even  placed  sentries  over  their  tobacco-gardens,  to 
prevent  the  possibility  of  theft. 

The  absence  of  the  women  and  children  had  been  a  certain 
sign  of  ill-will. 


STRONG  SUSPICIONS  OF  HOSTILITY. 


249 


It  was  necessary  to  consider  what  should  be  done.  We  were 
perfectly  helpless. 

I  had  about  twenty -five  hundred  head  of  cattle  and  eighteen 
hundred  head  of  sheep.  These  animals  were  driven  every  even- 
ing to  the  margin  of  the  river,  and  were  only  protected  at  night 
by  a  line  of  soldiers  who  slept  around  them. 

The  conduct  of  the  natives  filled  me  with  suspicions.  The 
sight  of  so  large  a  herd  without  protection  might  have  excited 
their  cupidity.  They  had  expected  my  arrival  with  this  grand 
supply  of  cattle,  and  instead  of  finding  their  villages  occupied, 
I  had  observed  that  their  own  herds  had  been  driven  off  for  con- 
cealment; not  a  woman  or  child  was  to  be  seen  in  the  country; 
the  natives  had  refused  to  carry ;  and,  lastly,  their  sheik  and  his 
people  had  absolutely  absconded. 

In  the  mean  time  my  cattle  were  unprotected  at  night;  thus, 
should  the  natives  make  a  sudden  attack  in  the  darkness,  there 
would  be  a  regular  stampede,  as  the  large  herd  would  be  seized 
with  a  panic  at  the  red  flashes  of  the  muskets  during  the  attack, 
and  they  would  scatter  all  over  the  country,  and  never  be  seen 
again. 

The  natives  had  probably  considered  that,  instead  of  carrying 
our  loads,  and  thereby  earning  a  cow  per  man,  it  might  save 
them  much  trouble  should  they  possess  themselves  of  our  cattle 
without  the  necessity  of  carrying  the  baggage. 

From  my  knowledge  of  the  brutal  character  of  all  Baris,  I  ar- 
rived at  the  above  conclusion. 

I  at  once  gave  orders  to  secure  the  cattle.  At  a  distance  of 
about  half  a  mile  there  were  three  small  villages  on  the  high 
sloping  ground,  situated  about  eighty  yards  apart,  and  forming  a 
triangle.  I  instructed  my  men  to  make  an  inclosure  by  connect- 
ing each  village  with  a  strong  hedge  of  thorns. 

The  country  was  generally  bare  of  trees,  but  fortunately  there 
was  a  grove  of  heglik  not  far  distant;  and  the  troops  at  once  be- 
gan to  fell  these  trees,  and  to  form  fences  by  laying  the  prickly 
branches  in  the  position  I  had  selected. 

The  "  Forty  Thieves  "  were  all  provided  with  small  and  sharp 
Canada  axes,  which  they  carried  under  the  strap  of  their  knap- 
sacks; thus  forty- eight  axes  were  at  work,  in  addition  to  the 
heavier  instruments  belonging  to  the  expedition. 

All  the  officers  and  men  shared  my  suspicions,  and  they  work- 
ed with  great  alacrity.  It  was  just  dark  by  the  time  that  the 
three  fences  were  completed,  and  the  herd  of  cattle  were  driven 
and  secured  within  the  inclosure. 


250 


ISMAILlA. 


I  arranged  a  guard  of  sixty  men— twenty  upon  each  side  of 
the  triangle.  They  were  to  remain  outside  the  fence,  and  to 
keep  a  vigilant  lookout. 

This  work  being  over,  I  returned  at  night  to  the  diahbeeah, 
together  with  Lieutenant  Baker.  We  found  dinner  ready  on  the 
poop-deck,  where  my  wife  had  been  rather  anxiously  expecting 
us.  I  sent  for  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  and  gave  him  the  neces- 
sary orders  for  the  night. 

My  diahbeeah  was  a  charming  vessel  that  had  originally  been 
sent  from  Cairo  to  Khartoum  when  the  former  Viceroy  of  Egypt, 
Said  Pasha,  visited  the  Soudan. 

The  poop-deck  was  lofty,  and  very  spacious.  This  comforta- 
ble boat  had  been  my  home  for  two  years,  and  she  was  kept  in 
admirable  order. 

There  were  no  mosquitoes  during  this  season  in  Bedden's 
country,  although  they  were  very  numerous  at  all  seasons  at 
Gondokoro;  therefore,  being  relieved  from  these  pests,  the  en- 
joyment Of  the  evening  was  delightful. 

The  night  was  calm,  as  usual  in  these  latitudes.  Dinner  was 
concluded.  I  was  enjoying  my  evening  chibouque  with  the  best 
Ghebbelli  tobacco,  that  soothes  most  anxieties.  The  troops  were 
for  the  most  part  asleep,  and  all  was  quiet.  My  wife  was  sitting 
on  the  sofa  or  divan,  and  Lieutenant  Baker  had  been  recalling 
some  reminiscences  of  the  navy,  when  several  musket-shots  in  the 
direction  of  the  cattle  kraal  suddenly  startled  every  soldier  from 
his  sleep ! 

The  shots  were  almost  immediately  succeeded  by  heavy  firing 
from  the  whole  force  stationed  at  the  cattle  zareeba.  The  bugles 
sounded  the  alarm,  and  every  man  was  quickly  under  arms. 

Having  arranged  the  men  in  position  to  defend  the  vessels 
in  case  of  a  general  attack,  I  took  twenty  men  of  the  "Forty 
Thieves,"  together  with  a  supply  of  rockets.  I  was  accompanied 
by  Lieutenant  Baker  and  most  of  the  Englishmen,  and  we  push- 
ed rapidly  forward  toward  the  cattle  zareeba,  where  the  flashes 
of  the  muskets  were  distinctly  visible. 

As  we  approached  the  position,  I  ordered  my  bugler  to  sound 
"cease  firing,"  as  I  expected  to  receive  a  few  bullets  intended 
for  the  enemy. 

"We  were  quickly  challenged  upon  arrival  at  the  zareeba.  We 
found  the  cattle  all  safe ;  only  a  few  sheep  had  been  killed  by  the 
heavy  attempt  at  a  stampede  when  the  cows  took  fright  at  the 
musketry. 

I  was  informed  that  the  natives  in  considerable  force  had  made 


A  DISHEARTENING  ENTRY  IN  THE  JOURNAL. 


251 


a  sudden  rush  upon  the  zareeba,  and  had  thrown  showers  of 
stones  in  order  to  create  a  panic  among  the  cattle,  which  they 
expected  would  break  through  the  fence  and  scatter  over  the 
country. 

It  was  fortunate  that  I  had  taken  the  precaution  of  securing 
them. 

I  was  determined  to  clear  the  neighborhood.  The  night  was 
dark.  I  was  provided  with  matches  and  port-fires,  and  I  quick- 
ly made  an  excursion,  and  sent  several  rockets  into  the  nearest 
villages.  The  Hale's  rockets,  as  usual,  rushed  through  the  houses 
without  igniting  them  ;  but  a  few  of  the  powerful  Egyptian  rock- 
ets that  are  used  as  fire-works  rapidly  lighted  up  the  scene,  as 
the  descending  fire-balls  ignited  the  thatched  roofs. 

These  rockets  were  fired  from  an  inclined  rest  of  a  soldier's 
fixed  bayonet. 

Having  cleared  the  neighborhood,  I  returned  to  the  diahbeeah 
at  midnight. 

I  find  this  entry  in  my  journal: 

"  January  29,  1872.  —  All  the  googoos,  or  granaries,  abound 
with  corn.  The  natives  are  so  rich,  both  in  dhurra  and  cattle, 
that  they  will  not  work,  but  they  are  only  ready  to  sleep  or 
steal.  After  all  my  kindness,  they  have  wantonly  attacked  my 
cattle  without  the  plea  either  of  hunger  or  provocation. 

"What  can  be  accomplished  with  such  people?  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  return  the  steamer  to  Ismailia  (Gondokoro).  It  is 
heart-breaking  work,  after  all  my  trouble  in  having  brought  her 
to  this  distant  point. 

"Nothing  can  be  done  without  camels,  and  these  animals  can 
not  be  brought  from  Khartoum,  in  the  closed  state  of  the  river. 

"  My  original  plan  included  two  hundred  camels,  two  hundred 
cavalry,  and  fifteen  large-decked  sloops.  None  of  these  necessa- 
ry items  have  been  sent  from  Khartoum  ;  thus  I  am  paralyzed." 


252 


CHAPTEK  XV. 

THE  ADVANCE  TO  LOBORE. 

I  determined  upon  a  new  plan.  I  knew  the  direction  of 
Lobore,  as  I  had  been  there  formerly;  the  distance  could  not  ex- 
ceed sixty  miles. 

If  the  soldiers  could  draw  the  carts,  I  might  yet  manage  to  ad- 
vance, as  I  should  be  able  to  procure  carriers  on  arrival  at  Lo- 
bore ;  provided  always  that  the  natives  were  as  friendly  as  when 
I  left  them  some  years  ago. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  convey  the  steamer,  as  I  could  not 
expect  to  provide  two  thousand  carriers ;  but  I  might  be  able  to 
penetrate  south,  establish  the  government,  and  open  up  a  legiti- 
mate trade. 

The  first  step  necessary  was  to  convey  the  large  herd  of  cattle 
across  the  river,  which  was  about  four  hundred  yards  in  width, 
with  a  very  rapid  stream. 

The  sheep  were  taken  across  in  vessels,  but  the  cows  were 
obliged  to  swim.  This  operation  was  very  tedious,  as  they  were 
necessarily  taken  in  small  batches,  guided  by  men  who  swam  by 
their  side  in  the  manner  already  described  at  Gondokoro. 

Although  the  natives  were  avowedly  hostile,  they  dared  not 
face  us  in  the  open.  They  made  another  attempt  by  night  to 
surprise  the  cattle-kraal,  but  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  immediately 
set  fire  to  a  few  villages  as  a  response  and  warning. 

We  were  occupied  four  days  in  passing  the  cattle  across  the 
river.  During  the  passage,  we  lost  one  taken  by  a  crocodile,  and 
three  cows  were  wantonly  seized  and  drowned  by  hippopotami. 
A  herd  of  these  creatures  happened  to  be  in  the  way  as  the  cows 
were  floating  in  large  numbers  down  the  stream,  and  several  were 
seen  to  attack  the  cattle  and  seize  them  in  their  jaws.  As  the 
hippopotamus  is  not  carnivorous,  this  was  an  unexpected  attack. 

My  Englishmen  had  been  busily  engaged  in  erecting  the  carts, 
greasing  the  wheels,  and  attaching  the  ropes  necessary  for  haul- 
ing. They  were  all  loaded,  and  were  arranged  to  be  drawn  by 
fifteen  men  each. 

On  the  evening  of  February  5th,  while  we  were  at  dinner,  I 
was  astonished  by  the  unexpected  mustering  of  my  whole  force, 


MUTINOUS  GATHERING  OF  THE  TROOPS. 


253 


excepting  the  "  Forty  Thieves."  The  men  were  without  arms  or 
officers,  but  they  marched  to  the  margin  of  the  river  and  formed 
a  line  two  deep  alongside  the  diahbeeah,  which  lay  close  against 
the  bank. 

I  knew  at  once  what  all  this  meant,  but  I  pretended  to  take  no 
notice,  and  I  continued  eating  my  dinner. 

I  was  quickly  interrupted  by  loud  cries  from  the  men :  "  We 
can't  draw  the  carts  ;  that's  not  the  work  for  soldiers ;  we'll  fight, 
or  do  any  thing  else  you  may  desire,  but  we  are  not  camels  to 
drag  the  wagons." 

The  u Forty  Thieves"  immediately  seized  their  arms,  and 
marching  quickly  to  the  spot,  they  formed  in  line  upon  the  bank 
between  the  diahbeeah  and  the  men  who  thus  mutinously  had 
appeared  without  their  officers. 

I  at  once  ordered  the  bugle-call  for  all  officers,  and  at  the 
same  time  I  sent  for  all  the  Englishmen  to  come  to  the  diah- 
beeah. 

When  all  had  arrived,  and  the  shouts  still  continued,  I  rose 
from  the  table,  and  addressed  the  troops  in  Arabic  from  the  poop- 
deck  of  the  diahbeeah. 

I  recalled  to  their  recollection  how  I  had  always  led  them  suc- 
cessfully through  every  difficulty,  and  I  assured  them  that  the 
distance  to  Lobore  was  trifling,  and  that  we  should  find  good  and 
willing  natives  to  convey  the  baggage,  if  we  could  only  once 
reach  the  desired  tribe. 

Cries  of  "There  are  no  good  negroes — they  are  all  bad,"  inter- 
rupted my  discourse.  I  nevertheless  continued ;  but  having  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  African  character,  and  knowing  that 
if  a  negro  gets  an  idea  into  his  head,  that  idea  can  only  be  eradi- 
cated by  cutting  the  head  off,  I  was  not  fool  enough  to  persist  in 
swimming  against  a  torrent.  The  "Forty  Thieves"  now  joined 
the  tumult  by  declaring  that  "  they  would  draw  the  carts,  or  do 
any  thing  that  I  should  command." 

I  took  immediate  advantage  of  the  occasion,  and  exclaimed, 
"  You  shall  do  all  that  I  command.  I  have  changed  my  plans, 
and  I  order  you  to  take  the  carts  to  pieces  at  sunrise  to-morrow 
morning.  All  those  who  are  afraid  to  follow  me  shall  return 
with  the  vessels  and  carts  to  Gondokoro.  I  never  turn  back; 
and  my  lady  and  I  will  go  on  alone  with  Mr.  Baker.  I  only  re- 
quire orderly  soldiers,  who  know  their  duty;  if  you  have  forgot- 
ten your  duty,  you  shall  return  at  once  to  Gondokoro." 

This  declaration  was  followed  by  loud  shouts,  "  We  won't  let 
you  go  alone ;  the  natives  are  treacherous ;  we  will  follow  wher- 


254 


ISMAILlA. 


ever  you  lead.  Are  we  not  soldiers  of  the  Sultan  ?  are  you  not 
the  Saltan's  pasha?" 

I  had  them  in  hand ;  therefore  I  at  once  terminated  the  scene 
by  commanding  silence.  I  then  gave  an  order  aloud  to  the  offi- 
cers :  "  Keturn  carts  and  all  baggage  on  board  vessels  at  sunrise 
to-morrow.  All  troops  to  be  ready  for  the  advance.  Bugler, 
sound  1  the  retreat.'  " 

That  peculiar  habit  of  discipline  yielded  instinctively  to  the 
sound  of  the  bugle.  The  officer  gave  the  order,  "  Eight,  turn  !" 
and  the  late  tumultuous  crowd  marched  quietly  to  their  quarters. 
This  was  ended ;  at  the  same  time  it  was  not  cheering. 

My  Englishmen,  who  had  been  witnesses  of  this  scene,  were 
filled  with  indignation.  They  were  men  who  thoroughly  repre- 
sented English  determination,  and  they  at  once  volunteered  to 
carry  their  own  baggage  if  I  would  only  permit  them  to  accom- 
pany me. 

How  often  my  heart  has  beaten  with  pride  when  I  have  seen 
the  unconquerable  spirit  of  the  country  burst  forth  like  an  unex- 
tinguishable  flame  in  any  great  emergency  ! 

I  now  had  to  quell  the  eagerness  of  my  own  good  fellows,  as  I 
knew  that  if  "the  spirit  was  willing  the  flesh  was  weak,"  and  it 
would  be  impossible  for  Englishmen  to  carry  loads  through  a 
journey  in  a  tropical  country. 

I  saw  the  necessity  of  the  occasion  at  a  glance,  and  I  gave  the 
necessary  orders. 

The  Englishmen,  together  with  the  steamer  sections,  machin- 
ery, etc.,  must  return  to  Gondokoro.  They  must  immediately 
commence  the  construction  of  the  No.  2  steamer  of  one  hundred 
and  eight  tons  and  twenty  horse-power,  as  this  vessel,  being  pro- 
vided with  twin  screws  instead  of  paddles,  would  be  able  to  pass 
through  the  narrow  channels  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  and  communi- 
cate with  Khartoum. 

I  gave  the  order  to  prepare  to-morrow  for  a  return  to  Gon- 
dokoro. 

On  February  6th,  at  sunrise,  all  hands  were  at  work  dismount- 
ing the  carts,  and  returning  on  board  the  vessels  all  material  con- 
nected with  the  steamer,  etc.  I  altered  all  the  loads,  and  made 
arrangements  for  a  new  plan  of  action. 

I  had  determined  to  push  on  to  Lobore  with  one  hundred  men 
in  heavy  marching  order,  if  I  could  only  engage  a  few  natives  to 
carry  the  necessaries  for  the  road.  At  Lobore  I  might  be  able 
to  engage  a  few  hundred  porters  that  I  should  send  back  to  the 
vessels  with  an  escort  of  fifty  soldiers,  to  bring  up  sufficient 


ENGLISHMEN  RETURN  TO  GONDOKORO. 


255 


ammunition  and  material  for  an  advance  south.  I  knew  the 
route. 

It  was  therefore  necessary  to  assort  the  baggage ;  much  had  to 
be  returned  to  Gondokoro  with  the  Englishmen. 

I  had  a  small  invoice-book  that  had  been  carefully  prepared 
by  Mr.  Marcopolo,  which  gave  the  numbers  and  contents  of  ev- 
ery box ;  therefore  the  difficulty  of  assortment  was  not  great. 

All  the  boxes  were  of  block  tin,  painted ;  thus  they  could  be 
piled  like  bricks,  one  upon  the  other,  to  form  a  wall.  I  arranged 
about  four  hundred  loads,  which  were  set  apart  for  the  carriers, 
should  I  be  fortunate  in  procuring  that  number  from  Lobore. 

On  February  7th  the  carts  were  shipped.  All  the  loads  were 
perfected  and  ready  for  a  start  on  the  following  day.  Some  of 
my  men  were  endeavoring  to  train  a  few  oxen  to  carry  their 
baggage. 

On  February  8th,  the  Englishmen,  in  very  low  spirits,  started 
for  Ismailia  (Grondokoro)  in  two  vessels,  with  ninety  urdeps  of 
dhurra,  consigned  to  Mr.  Marcopolo. 

I  had  arranged  that  twenty-two  boatmen  should  accompany 
me  to  Lobore,  carrying  such  loads  as  were  absolutely  necessary 
for  our  party.  They  would  then  return,  together  with  the  fifty 
soldiers  who  would  escort  the  native  carriers  to  the  vessels. 

I  had  given  the  Englishmen  instructions  to  commence  the 
building  of  the  steamer  immediately,  and  to  confine  their  work 
to  this  vessel  until  she  should  be  completed. 

Having  counted  all  the  loads  that  were  left  in  charge  of  Major 
Abdullah,  I  took  a  receipt  for  them,  and  gave  that  officer  both 
clear  and  positive  orders  for  his  conduct. 

I  left  with  him  one  hundred  and  twenty  men,  together  with 
the  field-piece  and  eight  artillerymen.  In  addition  to  these  men 
was  the  crew  of  the  No.  10  steamer,  all  of  whom  were  trained  as 
soldiers.  Thus,  with  the  armed  crews  of  the  different  vessels,  be 
would  have  a  force  of  about  one  hundred  and  forty-five  muskets. 
It  was  highly  probable  that  the  natives  would  attack  the  vessels 
and  the  cattle  in  my  absence,  as  they  would  have  remarked  the 
great  reduction  of  force.  Although  the  country  was  perfectly 
open,  the  ground  was  high  and  rocky,  and  rapidly  rose  to  about 
two  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river  within  a  distance 
of  a  mile ;  thus  the  natives  scattered  about  the  heights  could  al- 
ways obsewe  our  proceedings. 

Before  I  quitted  the  vessels,  I  made  every  preparation  for  their 
security.  All  the  metal  boxes  were  built  into  a  quadrangular 
breastwork  that  would  form  a  little  fort  for  a  dozen  people. 


256 


ISHAILlA. 


I  moored  the  vessels  in  line  close  to  the  mouth  of  a  deep,  flat- 
bottomed  ravine,  which,  although  now  dry  and  about  thirty  paces 
wide,  had  formed  the  bed  of  a  river  during  the  wet  season.  The 
perpendicular  banks  of  this  fosse  would  make  a  grand  protection 
for  the  cattle ;  I  therefore  ordered  a  fence  of  thorns  to  be  con- 
structed across  the  ravine  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  river, 
so  as  to  form  a  kraal,  in  which  the  cows  would  be  confined  be- 
low the  level  of  the  country. 

Sixty  men  were  to  guard  the  cattle  at  night — thirty  upon  ei- 
ther bank.  As  this  ravine  ran  at  right  angles  with  the  river, 
the  sixty  men  would  enfilade  an  enemy  attacking  the  vessels, 
and  the  guard  of  the  vessels  would  at  the  same  time  enfilade  an 
enemy  should  he  attack  the  cattle  on  the  north  side. 

I  placed  the  gun  in  a  convenient  position  about  twenty  yards 
from  the  margin  of  the  river,  on  a  piece  of  hard,  flat  ground, 
exactly  opposite  the  centre  of  the  line  of  vessels.  This  would 
sweep  the  approach  in  front  and  upon  the  left  flank. 

I  ordered  the  officer  to  load  with  canister  containing  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  small  musket-balls.  Having  served  out  a  dozen 
Woolwich  tubes,  instead  of  the  uncertain  Egyptian  articles,  I 
gave  positive  orders  that  the  gun  was  to  be  laid  for  a  point-blank 
range  of  two  hundred  yards  every  evening  at  sunset,  with  the 
tube  in  its  place,  the  lanyard  attached  and  coiled.  A  piece  of 
rawhide  was  to  cover  the  breech  of  the  gun,  to  protect  it  from 
the  night-dew. 

Having  given  every  instruction,  and  impressed  upon  officers 
and  men  the  necessity  of  vigilance,  I  ordered  Major  Abdullah,  in 
command,  to  remain  in  charge  of  the  vessels  and  cattle  until  I 
should  either  send  him  carriers  for  an  advance,  or  fall  back  my- 
self, should  I  be  unable  to  obtain  them. 

A  tall  old  man  of  about  seventy,  or  perhaps  eighty  years,  had 
paid  us  a  visit.  From  his  appearance,  and  the  numerous  spells 
hung  about  his  person,  I  judged  him  to  be  a  rain -maker.  His 
face  was  smeared  with  wood-ashes,  and  there  was  a  good  deal  of 
the  ideal  demon  in  his  personal  exterior. 

I  gave  him  a  blue  shirt,  and  a  glass  of  Marsala  wine,  thus  ap- 
pealing at  once  to  his  exterior  and  interior. 

It  is  always  advisable  to  make  friends  with  the  rain-makers, 
as  they  are  regarded  by  the  natives  as  priests,  and  are  consider- 
ed with  a  certain  respect.  I  therefore  gave  him  another  glass  of 
wine  ;  or,  to  be  correct,  he  drank  it  from  a  tin  that  had  contained 
preserved  provisions. 

This  caused  him  to  blink  his  eyes  and  smack  his  lips,  and  the 


THE  OLD  RAIN -MAKER. 


257 


old  rain-maker  grinned  a  ghastly  smile  of  admiration.  His  wood- 
ash -smeared  features  relaxed  into  an  expression  that  denoted 
"more  wine."  I  thought  he  had  enough,  and  there  was  none  to 
spare;  therefore,  having  opened  his  heart,  I  began  to  ask  him 
questions. 

That  unfailing  key,  liquor,  had  established  a  confidential  flow 
of  conversation.  The  old  fellow  explained  that  he  knew  the  en- 
tire country,  and  he  had  no  objection  to  accompany  us  to  Lobore 
for  a  small  consideration  in  the  shape  of  a  cow.  He  assured  me 
that  if  he  were  with  us,  the  natives  would  be  civil  throughout 
the  journey.  Bedden  had  behaved  very  badly,  but  he  had  got 
the  worst  of  it,  and  the  news  had  spread  up  the  country. 

I  asked  him  whether  he  would  keep  the  rain  away  during  the 
journey,  as  it  would  be  very  unpleasant  should  the  soldiers'  kits 
get  wet.  He  immediately  blew  his  rain-whistle  that  was  sus- 
pended to  his  neck,  and  looked  at  me  as  though  I  could  no  long- 
er doubt  his  capability.  I  then  sent  for  a  German  horn  from  my 
cabin.  This  was  a  polished  cow's  horn,  fitted  with  brass,  which 
I  think  had  cost  a  shilling.  I  begged  the  old  rain-maker's  ac- 
ceptance of  this  instrument,  which  might  be  perhaps  superior  to 
his  whistle. 

The  wine  had  now  so  far  warmed  his  old  blood  that  the  an- 
cient sorcerer  was  just  in  that  state  of  good-will  with  all  mankind 
which  made  him  doubly  grateful  for  so  interesting  a  present. 
He  blew  the  horn  again  and  again.  He  grinned  till  the  tears  ran 
down  his  cheeks,  and  at  once  suspended  the  glittering  toy  around 
his  neck.  He  now  said,  "I  am  a  great  sheik;  there  is  no  rain- 
maker so  great  as  I;  you  will  travel  with  me,  and  this  horn  shall 
keep  you  dry.  Don't  trouble  yourself  about  the  Baris  :  they  won't 
molest  you  ;  but  start  as  soon  as  you  can.1' 

We  had  thus  gained  a  valuable  ally  and  guide.  Although  I 
knew  the  direction  of  Lobore,  I  should  have  been  obliged  to  travel 
by  compass;  therefore  I  was  overjoyed  that  we  had  obtained  so  ex- 
perienced an  old  fellow  as  the  rain-maker.    His  name  was  Lokko. 

At  3  p.m.  on  February  8th  we  started,  old  Lokko  leading  the 
way,  and  waving  a  couple  of  thin,  peeled  sticks  at  a  refractory 
black  cloud  that  appeared  determined  to  defy  his  rain-ruling  pow- 
ers. A  few  loud  blasts  upon  the  new  horn,  and  a  good  deal  of 
pantomime  and  gesticulation  on  the  part  of  old  Lokko,  at  length 
had  the  desired  effect;  the  cloud  went  off  about  its  business;  and 
Lokko,  having  given  his  face  an  extra  rub  of  fresh  wood-ashes 
before  starting,  looked  ugly  enough  to  frighten  any  rain-devil 
out  of  his  wits. 


258 


ISMAILlA. 


My  people  were  heavily  laden.  At  the  commencement  of  the 
journey,  an  ox  that  Monsoor  had  been  training  kicked  off  its 
load,  and  went  off  at  full  gallop  like  a  wild  animal,  and  we  never 
saw  it  again.  Poor  Monsoor  now  shouldered  the  load  that  the  ox 
had  left  helpless,  and  marched,  thus  heavily  laden,  up  the  hill. 

My  wife  rode  "  Greedy  Gray,"  which  carried  as  much  as  could 
be  hung  upon  the  saddle.  I  rode  the  powerful  chestnut,  "  Ja- 
moos."  Lieutenant  Baker  mounted  a  very  handsome  light  chest- 
nut, "Gazelle,"  and  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  rode  the  Zafteer. 
The  latter  was  a  fine  old  Arab  that  I  had  purchased  of  a  zafteer 
(mounted  police)  in  Cairo.  I  had  ten  donkeys,  which  carried  of- 
ficers' effects,  spare  ammunition,  flour,  etc.  The  twenty-two  boat- 
men carried  boxes. 

My  wife  and  I,  with  Lieutenant  Baker  and  an  advanced  guard 
of  five  of  "The  Forty,"  followed  old  Lokko,  who  led  the  way; 
and  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  and  Captain  Mohammed  Deii  were 
with  the  rear-guard,  which  drove  one  thousand  cows  and  five 
hundred  sheep.  The  cattle  were  in  the  charge  of  the  Bari  inter- 
preter, Morgian. 

Our  boys  and  girls  all  carried  loads.  Amarn  looked  like  a 
small  Bobinson  Crusoe,  with  a  tanned  sheep-skin  bag  of  clothes 
upon  his  back,  upon  which  was  slung  the  coffee-pot,  an  umbrella, 
and  various  smaller  articles,  while  he  assisted  himself  with  a  long 
staff  in  his  hand.  Little  Cuckoo,  who,  although  hardly  seven 
years  old,  was  as  strong  as  a  little  pony,  strode  along  behind  my 
horse,  carrying  upon  his  head  my  small  traveling-bag. 

Every  body  was  in  the  best  spirits,  as  the  reaction  from  de- 
spair to  success  was  delightful.  We  were  really  off  at  last,  and 
were  actually  on  the  march  to  the  interior. 

That  evening  we  halted  at  a  village  on  the  heights,  only  three 
miles  from  the  vessels.  The  natives  had  deserted  their  habita- 
tions on  our  approach,  and  would  not  come  near  us.  I  ordered 
the  troops  to  save  their  flour,  and  to  eat  from  that  discovered  in 
the  village,  for  which  on  the  following  morning  I  left  two  cows  as 
a  present.  They  were  tied  up  in  the  native  zareeba.  The  cows 
were  worth  at  least  fifty  times  the  flour  we  had  consumed  ;  but  I 
wished  to  adopt  this  plan  throughout  the  journey  to  Lobore,  in 
order  to  establish  confidence,  and  to  open  up  the  road  for  the 
future. 

On  February  9th  we  started  at  5.35  a.m.,  and  marched  two 
hours  and  a  half  through  a  very  beautiful,  undulating  country, 
diversified  with  rocks,  streams,  and  handsome  park-like  timber. 

We  halted  at  a  village  called  Koojok,  beneath  a  large  fig-tree 


A  MARX,  THE  LIBERATED  ABYSSIXIAN  SLAVJE-BOY. 


DISCOVER  A  SHELL. 


259 


(Ficus  Indica).  Our  old  friend  Lokko  appeared  to  be  perfectly 
well  known,  and  he  at  once  introduced  us  to  the  natives,  who  re- 
ceived us  without  fear  or  suspicion.  At  this  village  I  was  able 
to  hire  five  natives  for  as  many  cows,  to  ease  my  people  (espe- 
cially Monsoor)  of  their  loads. 

Thus  relieved,  we  started  at  2  p.m.,  and  halted  for  the  night  at 
a  village  named  Gobbohr.  The  day's  march  was  twelve  miles. 
N.  lat.,  by  observation,  4°  28'. 

At  this  spot  the  natives  brought  us  a  great  curiosity,  which 
they  had  purchased  from  the  Baris  of  Belinian.  This  was  no 
less  than  a  shell  of  eight  and  a  quarter  pounds  that  had  been 
fired  at  the  Baris  by  our  cannon,  but  the  fuse  had  not  ig- 
nited. It  had  been  sold  to  the  natives  of  Gobbohr  as  a  piece  of 
iron.  , 

I  inquired  the  use  of  such  a  lump  of  metal  to  them.  "Oh!" 
they  replied,  "we  are  going  to  hammer  it  into  molotes"  (hoes). 

I  explained  to  them  that  it  was  a  loaded  shell,  that  would  ex- 
plode and  blow  the  blacksmith  and  his  people  to  pieces  if  he 
were  to  place  it  on  the  fire.  They  went  away  with  their  shell, 
evidently  doubting  my  explanation. 

On  February  10th,  having,  as  usual,  presented  the  natives  with 
two  cows,  we  started  at  6  a.m.,  and  marched  ten  miles.  The 
country  was  even  more  lovely  than  before,  comprising  fine  rocky 
scenery  and  beautiful  park -like  views.  The  undulations  termi- 
nated in  stony  bottoms  or  water-courses;  the  rocks  were  all  syen- 
ite, gneiss,  and  large  masses  of  snow-white  quartz. 

Although .  at  this  season  the  ground  was  parched,  the  trees 
were  all  vividly  green ;  the  contrast  of  this  bright  green  with 
the  yellow  turf  was  very  remarkable. 

At  2.50  P.M.  we  again  started,  and  marched  three  miles,  arriv- 
ing at  a. village  on  high  ground,  called  Marengo,  in  N.  lat.  4°  18'. 
Here  I  met  an  old  acquaintance,  who,  of  course,  asked  me  for  a 
cow.  This  was  a  very  respectable  man,  named  Nersho,  who  had, 
when  a  boy,  been  brought  up  by  the  Austrian  missionaries  at 
Gondokoro.  I  had  met  him  during  my  former  journey  when  in 
company  with  Koorshood's  vakeel,  Ibrahim.  We  slept  at  Ma- 
rengo. The  soldiers  borrowed  the  natives'  mats,  cooking-pots, 
etc.,  but  scrupulously  returned  every  thing  according  to  orders. 

February  11. — Nersho  received  his  cow ;  and  I  left  two  in  ad- 
dition for  the  head  man  of  the  village. 

We  started  at  5.35  a.m.,  and  marched  ten  miles,  and  halted  at 
a  small  ravine  of  running  water  among  wooded  hills. 

Our  old  guide,  Lokko,  was  at  fault.    After  much  trouble  we 


260 


ISMAILlA. 


succeeded  in  obtaining  two  natives,  who  told  us  that  in  this  spot 
they  had  killed  a  large  number  of  the  slave-hunters'  people. 

Other  natives  soon  joined  us,  and  we  were  led  by  a  difficult 
rocky  path  through  thick  forest  among  the  hills  for  five  miles  to 
the  pretty  open  country  of  Mooge. 

Throughout  the  journey  from  the  Nile  the  country  had  been 
thickly  populated.  At  Mooge  we  camped  in  a  large  village  on 
the  hill. 

February  12. — We  started  at  5.25,  and  marched  straight  to  Lo- 
bore, a  distance  of  fourteen  miles.  The  road  was  through  forest, 
intersected  at  right  angles  with  deep  water -courses  from  the 
mountain  called  Forke,  about  a  mile  distant  upon  our  left. 
This  fine,  rocky,  and  almost  perpendicular  hill  is  two  thousand 
feet  high. 

On  arrival  at  Lobore  we  halted  beneath  a  large  tree,  and  waited 
for  the  cattle,  which  were  some  distance  in  the  rear,  owing  to  the 
difficulty  in  crossing  the  numerous  steep  ravines.  Some  work 
would  be  necessary  on  this  road,  to  render  it  possible  for  carts. 

We  had  thus  marched  fifty-seven  miles  from  our  vessels  with- 
out the  necessity  of  firing  a  shot,  although  we  were  accompanied 
by  so  tempting  a  prize  as  a  large  herd  of  cattle  and  sheep. 

The  natives  of  Lobore  soon  began  to  collect,  and  the  dragoman, 
Wani,  shortly  appeared,  who  proved  to  be  an  old  acquaintance 
in  my  former  journey.  This  man,  who  had  been  an  interpreter 
when  a  boy  among  the  traders,  spoke  good  Arabic,  and  we  soon 
felt  quite  at  home.  Abbio,  the  old  sheik  of  Lobore,  appeared. 
This  old  fellow  was  half  blind ;  but  he  seemed  very  willing  to  as- 
sist, and,  after  I  had  explained  the  object  of  my  visit,  he  assured 
me  that  his  people  would  go  to  the  vessels  if  accompanied  by  my 
soldiers,  and  that  I  need  not  be  uneasy  about  my  baggage. 

The  Lobore  are  not  Bari.  I  was  delighted  to  have  passed  the 
southern  frontier  at  Mooge,  and  to  have  quitted  that  incomprehen- 
sible tribe.    The  language  of  the  Lobore  is  a  dialect  of  the  Madi. 

In  the  evening  the  cattle  arrived  with  the  rear-guard.  I  had 
requested  the  old  sheik  to  have  a  zareeba  prepared  for  them ; 
this  was  quickly  accomplished,  therefore  an  ox  was  slaughtered 
as  a  reward  for  all  those  who  had  worked  at  the  inclosure. 

On  February  13th  "  we  held  a  regular  market  for  the  purchase 
of  flour  in  exchange  for  sheep  and  goats.  Many  of  these  useful 
little  animals  were  sickly,  owing  to  the  marches  in  the  hot  sun, 
which  had  created  intense  thirst.  Upon  arrival  at  streams  upon 
the  route,  they  had  drunk  too  greedily,  and  some  had  died  of 
inflammation. 


A  VISIT  FROM  THE  SHEIK  OF  MOOGE. 


261 


"The  natives  purchased  live  goats  at  the  rate  of  about  thirty 
pounds  of  flour.  This  was  an  equal  exchange  in  live  weight  of 
the  animal — a  pound  of  flour  for  a  pound  of  goat. 

"February  14. — The  whole  country  turned  out  to  hunt,  and 
the  natives  returned  in  the  evening,  having  only  killed  two  buf- 
faloes and  a  few  small  antelopes.  Even  the  small  boys  are  arm- 
ed in  this  country  with  bows  and  barbed  arrows,  with  which 
they  shoot  remarkably  well. 

"February  15. — The  old  sheik,  Abbio,  accompanied  by  Wani, 
appeared  early,  together  with  a  considerable  number  of  natives. 
They  selected  three  hundred  and  ninety-six  cows  from  my  za- 
reeba,  and  a  similar  number  of  men  promised  to  start  to-morrow 
with  fifty  soldiers,  to  convey  the  material  from  the  vessels. 

"February  16. — After  some  delay  the  natives  assembled,  and 
with  horns  blowing  and  much  shouting  and  whistling,  they  at 
length  started,  together  with  our  return  sailors,  and  an  escort  of 
fifty  soldiers. 

"  I  shall  thus,  after  much  care  and  anxiety,  be  able  to  push  on 
with  a  quantity  of  goods  sufficient  to  open  the  path,  and  to  es- 
tablish relations  with  the  equatorial  countries.  I  shall  have  two 
hundred  and  twelve  troops,  and  a  good  supply  of  ammunition, 
goods,  and  cattle;  thus  there  should  be  no  insurmountable  dif- 
ficulty. 

"  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Higginbotham,  also  to  Mr.  Marcopolo,  and  sent 
the  letters  inclosed  in  a  bottle. 

"February  17. — A  slight  shower  fell  this  morning.  The  sheik 
of  Mooge  arrived  to  see  me  last  evening,  and  presented  a  fat  goat. 

"  I  am  trying  to  persuade  him  and  old  Abbio  to  join  in  cutting 
the  cart-road  through  the  forest  from  Mooge.  I  gave  Abbio  a 
mixture  of  sulphate  of  zinc  for  his  eyes,  and  put  a  mustard-plas- 
ter on  Wani  the  interpreter's  stomach.  At  first  he  said  it  was 
of  no  use,  as  it  only  felt  like  cold  water ;  but  when  it  began  to 
burn  he  was  greatly  amazed,  and  said  the  cold  water  had  turned 
to  fire. 

"I  then  physicked  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  and  Monsoor,  both 
of  whom  were  overheated. 

"A  judicious  present  of  a  few  blue  shirts  to  certain  head  men 
put  every  one  in  good  humor. 

"February  18. — I  took  a  stroll  for  some  miles  in  the  forest, 
accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker.  Game  was  very  scarce,  but 
we  at  length  came  upon  a  fine  herd  of  tetel  {Antelope  Bubalis). 
These  having  been  disturbed  by  the  noise  we  had  made  in  walk- 
ing over  loose,  stony  ground,  dashed  through  the  open  forest 


ISMAILlA. 


about  one  hundred  and  twenty  paces  in  my  front.  I  shot  one 
through  the  shoulder,  and  upon  running  up  I  found  it  in  the  act 
of  falling. 

"  I  then  heard  a  shot  from  Lieutenant  Baker  on  my  left,  to 
whom  my  shot  had  turned  the  antelopes.  He  had  killed  a  very 
large  bull  by  a  good  shot  in  the  neck. 

"This  good  luck  was  a  windfall  for  the  Lobore  natives  who 
had  accompanied  us;  and  a  man  immediately  started  off  for  as- 
sistance, as  many  men  were  required  to  transport  the  flesh  and 
hides  of  such  large  animals. 

"February  19. — The  natives  begged  that  we  would  again  accom- 
pany them  to  hunt,  and  they  started  with  a  considerable  party. 

"Having  formed  a  long  line  like  skirmishers,  writh  intervals 
of  about  ten  yards  between  each,  they  advanced  with  their  bows 
prepared,  and  the  arrows  on  the  string,  ready  for  a  shot  on  the 
instant  should  game  start  on  foot.  There  were  many  boys  of 
about  twelve  years  old,  all  of  whom  were  armed  with  bows  and 
arrows,  and  they  advanced  in  the  same  line  with  the  men.  There 
were  too  many  people,  and  the  game  became  scared ;  so  that  af- 
ter a  long  walk,  we  returned  to  camp  without  having  fired  a  shot. 

"I  found  some  very  curious  flowers,  which  issued  from  the 
ground  in  pods,  without  leaves;  these  burst  and  threw  out  beau- 
tiful compact  silk  balls  in  great  numbers,  not  half  of  which  could 
be  returned  to  the  pod  that  had  scattered  them. 

"  On  February  22d  we  had  purchased  and  stored,  in  expecta- 
tion of  the  arrival  of  the  troops,  three  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  forty  pounds  of  flour. 

"I  was  determined  to  carry  a  large  supply  to  the  south,  as 
the  country  had  in  some  places  been  depopulated  by  the  slave- 
hunters. 

"February  23. —  I  went  out  with  Lieutenant  Baker,  accom- 
panied by  some  natives,  and  traveled  over  very  likely  ground, 
composed  of  forest,  glades,  ravines  full  of  bamboos,  etc.,  until  we 
reached  the  base  of  Grebel  Forke. 

"  We  had  passed  over  several  miles,  and  had  only  seen  a  few 
small  antelopes,  wThen,  upon  ascending  some  rising  ground  in  the 
very  open  forest,  we  caught  sight  of  a  herd  of  tetel  bounding 
along  through  some  high  grass  toward  some  low  rocky  hills  a 
few  hundred  yards  distant.  There  were  many  large  trees  grow- 
ing out  of  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,  and  I  proposed  that  Lieutenant 
Baker  should  go  round  the  hill  on  my  right,  while  I  should  creep 
quietly  over  the  summit  of  the  rocks,  as  I  expected  we  should 
find  the  antelopes  standing  in  some  sheltered  glade. 


BOAR- HUNTING. 


263 


When  I  arrived  at  the  base  of  the  small  bill,  which  was  not 
higher  than  seventy  or  eighty  feet,  and  was  composed  of  large 
masses  of  granite,  I  carefully  ascended,  without  making  the 
slightest  noise. 

u  On  arrival  at  the  denuded  summit.  I  was  well  concealed  by  a 
detached  block  of  granite  that  lay  upon  a  flat  weather-worn  sur- 
face of  the  same  rock. 

"  I  raised  my  head,  and  looked  in  vain  for  the  antelopes.  The 
ground  was  a  beautiful  park,  characterized  by  numerous  masses 
of  granite,  like  ruined  castles,  among  trees  of  all  shades  of  green. 
The  ground  was  covered  with  young  grass  about  six  inches  high, 
which  had  sprung  up  after  the  annual  fire  that  had  destroyed  the 
last  year's  dry  herbage. 

"I  could  see  no  game.  Presently  I  observed  the  native,  who 
was  a  few  yards  on  my  left,  making  eager  gestures,  and  pointing 
with  his  finger  in  order  to  direct  my  attention.  I  at  once  per- 
ceived a  family  of  wild  pigs  which  had  emerged  from  some  bush, 
and  were  quietly  feeding  along  the  glade,  so  that  they  would 
shortly  pass  in  front  of  me  within  sixty  yards. 

"The  natives  love  pork  beyond  all  other  flesh;  thus  I  had  a 
good  opportunity  for  showing  them  a  little  treat.  With  a  quick 
right-and-left  shot  I  knocked  over  two  pigs,  and  reloading  the 
"Dutchman  "  in  a  few  instants,  I  rolled  over  a  boar  that  had  gal- 
loped off  to  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  yards'  distance.  This 
animal  recovered  itself,  and  got  away  to  some  place  of  cover. 

"Upon  ihe  arrival  of  Lieutenant  Baker  and  the  natives,  we 
tracked  the  blood  for  about  three  hundred  yards  to  a  small  plot 
of  high  grass  that  had  escaped  the  fire.  I  knew  that  we  must 
find  the  wounded  boar  in  this  retreat.  I  therefore  ordered  the 
natives  to  beat  it  out.  The  boar  soon  broke  cover  and  galloped 
off  along  the  open,  but  quickly  rolled  over  as  a  shot  from  the 
"Dutchman"  struck  it  behind  the  shoulder.  The  natives  were 
delighted  with  the  success  of  the  rifle,  as  it  had  produced  three 
fine  pigs  for  their  service  within  a  few  minutes.  • 

"February  2-1.  —  The  whole  of  the  troops  and  baggage  from 
the  vessels  arrived  safely  to-day,  together  with  the  cattle  and 
sheep;  thus  all  my  arrangements  have,  thank  God,  speeded,  and 
I  am  now  in  possession  of  my  force  and  material." 

Major  Abdullah  delivered  his  report.  As  I  had  expected,  he 
had  been  attacked  in  great  force  by  the  natives  after  my  depart- 
ure. The  Baris,  as  usual,  had  employed  treachery,  which  had 
very  nearly  succeeded. 

A  day  or  two  after  I  had  left  the  vessels,  several  natives  had 


264 


ISMAILlA. 


desired  to  communicate  with  Major  Abdullah.  These  men  de- 
clared that  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  Bedden,  and  that  all  the 
Baris  of  the  east  side  of  the  Nile  desired  peace. 

It  would  have  been  natural  to  suppose  that,  after  so  recent 
an  example  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  Bedden,  Major  Abdullah 
would  have  been  keenly  suspicious ;  he  was  nevertheless  de- 
ceived by  the  specious  promises  of  the  wily  Baris.  This  officer 
knew  my  wish  for  peace  and  good-will,  and  he  trusted  to  be  able 
to  assure  me  that,  after  my  departure,  he  had  been  able  to  estab- 
lish amicable  relations  with  our  late  enemies. 

The  messengers  returned  to  their  villages,  and  natives  visited 
the  camp  with  fowls,  tobacco,  and  various  articles  for  sale.  The 
soldiers  were  ready  purchasers,  as  they  were  well  supplied  with 
beads,  zinc  mirrors,  and  various  trifles  which  they  had  recently 
obtained  from  the  government  magazines.  The  fault  of  my  men 
lay  in  their  extravagance,  and  they  quickly  spoiled  a  market  by 
offering  too  much..  The  trade  commenced  vigorously,  and  the 
now  peaceable  Baris  thronged  to  the  vessels,  and  mixed  freely 
with  the  officers  and  troops. 

On  the  night  of  February  17th,  1872,  the  troops  were  fast 
asleep.  Confidence  had  been  thoroughly  established,  and  there 
was  no  apprehension  of  coming  danger.  My  officers  and  men 
were  careless  of  precautions;  the  sentries  were  nearly  all  asleep. 
The  cannon  had  been  loaded  with  shell  instead  of  canister.  The 
Woolwich  tubes  had  been  put  away  so  safely  that  they  could  not 
be  found  when  wanted.  The  gun  had  not  been  sighted  for  close 
distance,  neither  had  any  of  my  most  positive  instructions  been 
carried  out.  The  artillerymen  were  sound  asleep  upon  their 
mats  around  their  neglected  gun. 

I  have  already  described  the  tactics  of  Bari  night  attacks. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  their  scouts  must  have  crept  close 
to  the  camp,  and  must  have  returned  to  the  main  body  without 
having  been  observed  by  the  sentries.  The  report  that  all  were 
asleep,  or  off  their  guard,  had  been  delivered. 

It  is  supposed  that  some  thousands  of  the  enemy  moved  cau- 
tiously forward,  concealed  by  the  darkness,  upon  ground  that 
otherwise  could  not  have  admitted  a  stealthy  approach.  Fortu- 
nately for  the  expedition,  one  or  two  of  the  cattle  sentries  were 
awake;  otherwise  the  entire  force  must  have  been  massacred. 

The  Baris  crept  forward  without  being  observed,  until  they 
arrived  near  the  silent  and  sleepy  camp.  Then,  with  sudden 
shrieks  and  yells,  they  rushed  forward  in  a  mass  upon  the  unsus- 
pecting troops. 


ATTACK  UPON  MAJOR  ABDULLAH.  265 

A  slight  impediment  may  check  an  assault  during  the  darkness 
of  night.  The  only  protection  to  the  position  was  a  simple  line 
of  thorn  branches  laid  in  a  row  about  twenty  paces  in  the  front, 
running  parallel  with  the  river.  The  naked  legs  of  the  first  line 
of  the  enemy  must  have  become  entangled  in  this  unseen  ob- 
struction for  a  few  seconds,  which  caused  sufficient  confusion  to 
destroy  the  momentum  of  the  first  rush  forward. 

The  sentries  by  the  ravine  immediately  fired,  and  the  sixty 
men  who  formed  the  cattle-guard  quickly  responded,  and  poured 
a  fire  into  the  enemy's  flank. 

The  delay  caused  by  the  thorns  was  only  momentary,  but  it 
had  been  sufficient  to  allow  the  troops  to  awaken  and  to  clutch 
their  muskets.  Here  was  a  glorious  opportunity  for  the  gun,  if 
loaded  with  canister  and  ready  at  point-blank  range! 

The  enemy  were  already  at  the  muzzle.  The  Egyptian  artil- 
lerymen forsook  their  piece,  and  fled  ignominiously  to  the  vessels 
for  protection.  Only  one  fine  fellow  had  stood  by  the  gun,  and  he 
pulled  the  lanyard  when  the  crowd  of  natives  was  almost  upon  him. 
Where  were  the  unfailing  English  tubes?  An  Egyptian  tube  had 
been  placed  in  the  vent  in  spite  of  all  my  orders.    It  missed  fire! 

The  gun  that  should  have  swept  a  clear  road  through  the  ene- 
my was  silent,  and  the  gallant  soldier  who  alone  had  stood  faith- 
ful at  his  post  was  immediately  speared  through  the  body,  and 
fell  dead.    The  gun  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Baris. 

The  troops,  seized  with  a  panic,  fled  on  board  the  vessels, 
where  they  were  with  difficulty  rallied  by  their  officers  so  as  to 
open  fire  from  the  protection  of  the  banks  of  the  river. 

The  Baris  were  prepared  with  fire  to  burn  the  ships;  an'd  they 
not  only  succeeded  in  throwing  fire  within  the  vessels,  but  they 
killed  an  unfortunate  woman  with  a  lance  who  was  on  the  fore- 
part of  a  noggur. 

Troops  had  rushed  into  the  cabins  and  upon  the  poop-deck  of 
my  diahbeeah,  from  which  they  now  opened  fire  upon  the  enemy, 
who  were  at  the  same  time  exposed  to  a  flank  fire  from  the  sixty 
cattle-guards.  This  checked  the  advance,  and  the  major,  Abdul- 
lah, succeeded  in  leading  his  men  forward  and  recapturing  the 
gun.  .  At  length  a  tube  was  found,  and  fitted  in  the  vent.  For- 
tunately the  Baris  were  ignorant,  and  the  lanyard  was  lying  by 
the  gun.  Another  tube  missed  fire,  but  after  some  delay  the  gun 
at  length  spoke,  but  unfortunately  not  with  canister. 

It  was  already  too  hot  for  the  Baris,  who  were  between  two 
fires,  and  two  shots  from  the  cannon  settled  the  affair  and  deter- 
mined the  retreat. 


266 


ISMAILlA. 


I  could  not  have  believed  in  such  negligence  and  folly  had  I 
not  had  a  long  experience  of  Egyptian  troops,  whether  brown  or 
black.  These  people  can  generally  be  surprised,  unless  their 
commanding  officer  is  vigilant  and  most  severe.  Little  or  no  de- 
pendence can  be  placed  on  the  non-commissioned  officers;  these 
are  ignorant,  thoughtless  people,  who  having  learned  from  their 
Mohammedan  teachers  to  trust  themselves  to  God,  would  seldom 
keep  awake  unless  kept  to  their  duty  by  their  superior  officers. 

On  the  morning  following  this  attack,  the  big  drums  of  the  na- 
tives were  sounding  in  all  directions  upon  both  sides  of  the  river. 
Thousands  of  Baris  had  congregated  upon  the  various  heights, 
and  it  appeared  that  a  general  attack  would  be  renewed  upon  the 
camp.  It  was  not  considered  safe  to  drive  the  cattle  out  to  pas- 
turage. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that,  with  a  force  of  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  men,  Major  Abdullah  should  have  anchored  his  vessels 
a  few  yards  from  the  shore,  and  have  then  made  a  vigorous  at- 
tack upon  the  Baris.  He  was  provided  with  Hale's  rockets  in 
addition  to  the  field-piece,  and  he  should  have  given  the  enemy  a 
severe  example. 

Instead  of  assuming  the  offensive,  he  remained  inactive,  which 
so  encouraged  the  enemy  that  they  gathered  from  every  quarter, 
and  naturally  concluded  that  the  troops  had  received  a  panic 
from  the  night  attack. 

At  this  critical  time  the  scarlet  uniforms  of  my  fifty  men  ap- 
peared in  the  rear  of  the  natives,  together  with  four  hundred  of 
the  Lobore.  Some  of  my  men  belonged  to  the  "Forty  Thieves;" 
and  the  Baris,  upon  seeing  the  arrival  of  so  powerful  a  re-enforce- 
ment, immediately  dispersed,  with  much  blowing  of  horns  and 
whistles  in  defiance  of  Major  Abdullah. 

It  was  declared  that  the  Baris  had  suffered  severely  during  the 
night  attack ;  but  I  had  ceased  to  pay  much  attention  to  the  offi- 
cial reports  of  the  enemy's  losses. 

Between  the  river  and  Lobore  the  troops  had  marched  with- 
out opposition,  and  they  had  followed  my  instructions  by  leaving 
cows  for  payment  at  every  night's  halting-place. 

I  now  divided  the  flour  into  loads  of  sixty  pounds  each,  pack- 
ed in  baskets  covered  with  rawhide. 

I  thus  carried  thirty-six  hundred  pounds  by  sixty  porters.  My 
troops  were  now  relieved  from  much  weight,  as  I  engaged  five 
hundred  natives  for  the  journey  to  the  interior  ;  at  the  same  time 
I  ordered  every  soldier  to  carry  six  pounds  of  flour  in  addition 
to  his  knapsack  and  accoutrements.    Every  one  of  my  men  was 


PROVISION  FOR  THE  JOURNEY. 


267 


provided  with  a  small  tanned  goat-skin,  stripped  from  the  animal 
(like  a  stocking  from  the  leg),  and  secured  at  one  end  like  a  bag. 
These  little  chorabs,  or  traveling -sacks,  were  most  convenient, 
and  were  well  adapted  for  carrying  flour,  as  they  were  easily 
strapped  to  the  top  of  the  knapsack. 

I  lost  no  time  in  preparing  for  a  move  forward.  Wani,  the 
interpreter,  was  invaluable,  as  he  superintended  all  the  arrange- 
ments necessary  for  collecting  the  carriers. 

The  cattle  were  confined  within  the  kraal  waiting  for  selection. 
About  one  thousand  natives  assembled,  and  they  were  allowed  to 
enter  the  zareeba  and  choose  their  cows,  in  parties  of  four  at  one 
time,  to  prevent  confusion. 

This  was  a  tedious  operation,  as  the  Lobore  carriers  were  al- 
most as  particular  in  their  selection  of  cattle  as  ladies  are  sup- 
posed to  be  in  the  choice  of  their  dresses. 

February  27. — The  Lobore  were  exceedingly  quiet  and  orderly 
in  their  conduct,  and  five  hundred  cows  having  been  received  by 
as  many  natives,  they  returned  to  their  homes  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  the  journey  to  Fatiko.  I  find  the  following  extract  in 
my  journal  of  this  date  : 

"  The  Lobore  will  be  useful  allies,  as  they  are  enemies  of  the 
Bari,  and  their  country  is  well  situated,  lying  between  Bari  and 
Madi,  on  the  route  to  Fatiko ;  thus  they  will  be  ready  as  carriers 
for  both  ends  of  the  line. 

"If  I  can  obtain  eighty  camels  from  Khartoum,  I  can  get  the 
steamer  along  without  any  serious  difficulty,  as  the  Lobore  na- 
tives can  be  engaged  to  make  the  road;  but  nothing  can  prosper 
until  a  regular  camel  transport-service  shall  be  established. 

"I  am  sadly  in  want  of  troops  and  European  officers.  There 
should  be  two  hundred  men,  in  four  parties,  stationed  at  intervals 
along  the  line  to  direct  the  natives  in  opening  the  road. 

"A  soldier  deserted  and  ran  away,  with  his  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion, to  some  distant  village.  I  immediately  called  Wani  and  the 
old  sheik  Abbio,  to  whom  I  explained  that  I  should  hold  them 
responsible  if  the  deserter  was  not  captured.  They  sent  out  na- 
tives in  all  directions  in  search. 

"February  28. — The  natives  returned,  saying  they  had  found 
the  deserter  about  half  a  march  distant,  but  they  could  not  seize 
him  alive,  as  he  threatened  to  shoot  them ;  at  the  same  time  they 
were  afraid  to  kill  him,  as  he  was  my  soldier. 

''I  immediately  sent  a  sergeant  and  three  men  of  'The  Forty' 
to  take  him  prisoner. 

"In  the  evening  the  soldiers  returned,  having  captured  the  de- 


268 


ISMAIL'tA. 


sorter.  I  left  him  in  irons,  to  be  kept  at  hard  labor  by  the  sheik 
Abbio  at  Lobore,  until  I  should  return  to  the  country.  This  is 
a  good  lesson  to  the  troops. 

"  The  natives  had  a  grand  dance  to-day  ;  the  men  and  women 
ns  usual  naked,  leaping,  and  yelling  wild  songs  to  an  extraordi- 
nary accompaniment  of  music,  produced  by  beating  a  long  stick 
of  extremely  hard  wood  with  a  short  stick  of  the  same  substance. 
Some  of  the  girls  were  pretty ;  but  being  smeared  with  red  ochre 
and  fat,  they  were  not  attractive.  The  natives  were  very  civil ; 
and  although  at  least  a  thousand  were  present,  they  immediately 
made  room  for  me  upon  my  arrival,  that  I  might  have  a  good 
place  to  witness  their  performance." 

I  was  much  struck  with  a  simple  arrangement  made  use  of  by 
the  old  people  to  support  the  back  in  lieu  of  an  arm-chair.  Each 
person  had  a  cord  knotted  by  the  ends  so  as  to  form  an  endless 
loop  or  hoop.  The  size  depended  upon  the  measurement  re- 
quired, so  that  if  the  hoop  were  thrown  over  the  body  when  in  a 
sitting  posture  upon  the  ground,  with  the  knees  raised,  the  rope 
would  form  a  hoop  around  the  forepart  of  the  knees  and  the 
small  of  the  back,  which  would  thus  be  supported. 

The  Lobore  are  great  workers  in  iron,  which  is  used  generally 
in  the  manufacture  of  ornaments.  Large  rings  of  this  metal  are 
worn  round  the  neck,  and  upon  the  arms  and  ankles.  Many  of 
these  ankle-rings  are  of  extreme  thickness,  and  would  suffice  for 
the  punishment  of  prisoners.  I  was  interested  with  the  mechan- 
ical contrivance  of  the  Lobore  for  detaching  the  heavy  metal 
anklets,  which,  when  hammered  firmly  together,  appeared  to  be 
hopeless  fixtures  in  the  absence  of  a  file. 

I  required  several  irons  to  construct  manacles  for  the  deserter ; 
thus  I  had  purchased  the  massive  ornaments,  which  had  to  be  de- 
tached from  the  ankles  of  the  owner. 

The  man  sat  upon  the  ground.  A  stick  of  hard,  unyielding- 
wood  was  thrust  through  the  ring  beneath  the  ankle,  so  that  each 
end  of  the  stick  rested  on  the  earth.  A  man  secured  one  end  by 
standing  upon  it,  while  another  placed  a  stone  upon  the  stick 
thus  secured,  which  he  used  as  a  fulcrum.  The  lever  employed 
was  a  piece  of  abdnoos,  which  worked  upon  the  stone,  and  press- 
ed down  the  base  of  the  ring  at  the  same  time  that  it  opened  the 
joint  sufficiently  to- allow  it  to  be  passed  over  the  thin  portion  of 
the  leg. 

I  never  saw  this  ingenious  application  of  the  lever  a^nong  oth- 
er tribes  than  the  Lobore.  The  usual  method  among  the  Madi 
is  far  more  simple,  but  requires  a  certain  number  of  men,  and 


DISHONESTY  OF  THE  NATIVES. 


2G9 


places  the  patient  in  an  uncomfortable  position.  A  rope  is  fas- 
tened to  each  side  of  the  ring,  upon  which  a  number  of  men  haul 
in  opposite  directions  until  they  have  opened  the  joint  sufficient- 
ly to  detach  it  from  the  leg. 

On  February  29th  we  were  ready  for  the  start.  The  loads 
were  all  prepared,  and  arranged  in  separate  divisions  of  twenty 
each,  under  the  charge  of  selected  officers  and  men. 

The  big  nogara  had  sounded,  the  natives  collected,  and  each 
man  stood  by  his  load;  thus  twenty -five  gangs  of  twenty  each 
should  have  stood  in  line. 

I  now  discovered  that  the  vaunted  honesty  of  the  Lobore  was 
of  the  same  order  as  that  of  other  negroes.  Five  hundred  cows 
had  been  given  to  as  many  natives,  for  all  of  which  the  sheik 
Abbio  had  declared  himself  responsible.  The  big  nogara  sound- 
ed in  vain.  After  waiting  for  some  hours,  and  sending  numer- 
ous messengers  to  as  many  villages,  only  four  hundred  and  thir- 
ty-three carriers  could  be  mustered  ;  thus  sixty-seven  had  eloped 
with  as  many  cows ! 

No  one  can  imagine  the  trouble  of  such  a  journey  with  so  long 
a  retinue  of  carriers,  most  of  whom  are  dishonest,  and  only  seek 
an  opportunity  to  abscond  upon  the  road. 

The  Lobore  are  immensely  powerful  men,  and  they  carried  the 
boxes  of  Hale's  rockets  as  single  loads,  although  weighing  up- 
ward of  seventy-two  pounds.  At  the  same  time  they  quarreled 
among  themselves  as  to  the  choice  of  parcels,  and  I  could  with 
difficulty  prevail  upon  them  to  carry  the  zinc  boat,  although  it 
did  not  exceed  one  hundred  and  thirty  pounds.  Four  men  act- 
ually refused  to  touch  it,  as  it  sat  uneasily  upon  their  heads. 

This  handy  little  vessel  was  made  of  zinc  upon  an  iron  frame- 
work, and  would  contain  four  people  upon  a  pinch,  but  would 
easily  convey  three  across  a  river.  I  had  arranged  it  upon  two 
stout  bamboos,  so  adjusted  that  four  men  should  have  carried  it 
with  ease.  The  natives  demanded  eight,  but  I  at  length  com- 
promised for  six. 

The  delay  caused  by  the  non-appearance  of  the  sixty-seven 
carriers  was  extremely  dangerous,  as  it  increased  the  chance  of 
desertions.  Already  many  had  volunteered  to  search  for  their 
missing  friends,  which  would  have  resulted  in  a  search  for  them 
also,  until  my  body  of  carriers  would  have  melted  away. 

Fortunately  I  had  made  a  considerable  allowance  for  deser- 
tions on  the  road,  and  I  could  manage  to  start  with  the  assistance 
of  the  soldiers  and  their  wives,  among  whom  I  divided  many 
baskets  of  flour. 


'270 


ISM  J I Ll 'A. 


At  3.25  P.M.  we  started. 

There  was  no  danger,  now  that  we  had  passed  the  Bari  tribe; 
therefore  we  could  push  on  with  an  advance-guard  of  five  picked 
men  of  "The  Forty,"  who  always  accompanied  us,  and  leave  the 
charge  of  the  march  and  baggage  to  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  and 
the  various  officers. 

We  accordingly  marched,  at  four  miles  an  hour,  through  a 
rocky  and  hilly  country,  generally  wooded,  which  would  have 
been  an  awkward  position  if  held  by  an  enemy. 

At  6  p.m.  we  halted  at  a  rocky  ravine  where  water  had  been 
expected  by  our  guide.  To  our  dismay  we  found  it  nearly  dry ; 
and  it  was  necessary  to  dig  temporary  wells  in  the  sand  to  pro- 
cure a  supply  for  ourselves,  while  the  horses  were  forced  to  con- 
tent themselves  with  the  impure  pool. 

It  quickly  became  dark,  and  the  troops  and  baggage  were  far 
behind.  We  therefore  gathered  wood,  and  made  a  blazing  fire 
to  show  our  position  ;  at  the  same  time  a  bugler  and  drummer, 
who  had  accompanied  us,  made  as  much  noise  as  possible  from 
the  summit  of  a  small  hill. 

At  7.30  P.M.  the  cattle  arrived  by  torch -light,  together  with 
the  troops  and  baggage.  Some  of  the  Lobore  carriers  had  al- 
ready deserted  on  the  road,  which  had  caused  much  delay. 

We  had  marched  nine  miles,  but  it  was  absolutely  necessary 
to  send  four  men  back  to  Lobore,  to  insist  upon  fresh  carriers  be- 
ing immediately  sent  to  replace  the  runaways. 

On  March  1st  we  started  at  6.30  a.m.,  after  a  terrific  scramble 
for  loads  by  four  hundred  Lobore  carriers,  who  rushed  in  and 
tugged  and  wrestled  for  their  packages  like  wolves  over  a  car- 
cass. Boxes  were  turned  upside  down,  and  carried  in  that  man- 
ner with  an  utter  disregard  for  the  contents. 

The  inverted  canteen  was  discovered  upon  the  head  of  a  bru- 
tal Lobore,  whose  body  was  being  basted  with  cognac  and  gin 
that  showered  from  the  loosened  stoppers  of  the  decanters. 

I  never  saw  such  a  wild  pack  of  savages;  they  were  only  fit 
to  carry  the  elephants'  tusks  of  the  traders;  but  any  civilized 
baggage  ran  a  risk  of  instant  destruction. 

The  old  sheik  Abbio  had  given  me  his  son  to  keep  order 
among  the  people.  This  young  man  was  about  twenty- seven 
years  of  age ;  but  although  respectable  in  appearance,  he  did  not 
appear  to  have  the  slightest  control  over  his  people,  and  he  re- 
garded their  desertions  with  seeming  indifference. 

I  had  a  strong  suspicion  that  he  might  quietly  abscond  at 
night,  in  which  case  every  man  would  instantly  follow  his  ex- 


THE  ASUA  HIVER. 


271 


ample.  I  therefore  ordered  a  light  thong  of  leather  to  be  at- 
tached to  the  iron  collar  worn  as  an  ornament  upon  his  neck, 
and  I  trusted  him  to  the  surveillance  of  a  couple  of  soldiers  told 
off  as  his  guard  of  honor. 

We  marched  south  for  sixteen  miles  through  a  fine  country 
of  hills  and  low  forest,  where  the  villages  of  the  Madi  had  been 
mostly  destroyed  by  the  slave-hunting  parties  of  Abou  Saood. 

We  passed  large  tracts  of  land  that  had  formerly  been  in  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  and  the  charred  remains  of  numerous 
villages  bespoke  the  desolation  caused  by  these  brigands  of  the 
White  Nile.  The  road  was  well  watered  by  many  small  streams 
in  deep  gorges,  until  we  descended  to  the  Asua  river.  This  was 
just  twenty-five  miles  from  our  camp  at  Lobore,  in  latitude  N., 
by  observation,  3°  -A3'. 

We  happened  to  arrive  at  the  spot  where  the  river  Atabbi 
joined  the  Asua.  At  this  junction  the  Atabbi  was  perfectly 
clear,  while  the  Asua  was  muddy;  which  proved  that  heavy  rain 
had  fallen  in  the  Madi  and  Shooli  countries,  while  the  weather 
was  dry  in  the  mountains  of  Obbo. 

The  Asua  flowed  through  a  fine  forest;  but  although  the  wa- 
ter was  muddy  from  recent  rains,  the  volume  at  this  season  was 
confined  to  a  portion  of  the  bed,  in  the  deepest  parts  of  which  it 
did  not  exceed  two  feet  six  inches.  The  bed  from  bank  to  bank 
was  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  yards  in  width,  and  the  max- 
imum rise  of  the  river  was  about  twelve  feet.  During  the  wet 
season  this  is  a  frightful  torrent,  that  acts  as  a  barrier  to  any  ad- 
vance or  retreat  of  troops  encumbered  with  baggage. 

Having  waded  through  the  river,  we  halted  under  the  shady 
trees  on  the  south  side ;  here  there  was  excellent  herbage  for  the 
cattle,  as  the  young  grass  after  the  annual  fires  was  now  about 
eight  inches  high,  upon  the  rich  soil  near  the  river's  bank. 

Whenever  we  halted  during  daylight,  I  took  a  stroll  with  the 
rifle,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker. 

We  walked  for  some  time  along  the  banks  of  the  river  up 
stream  without  seeing  any  game,  and  I  was  struck  with  the  ab- 
sence of  tracks  of  the  larger  animals,  which  coincided  with  my 
remarks  on  the  Asua  river  many  years  previous,  when  I  crossed 
it  about  thirty  miles  higher  up,  on  my  route  from  Latooka  to 
Shooa. 

I  expected  to  return  without  seeing  game,  when  we  suddenly 
spied  a  few  water-buck  in  the  sandy  bed  of  the  river,  about  three 
hundred  paces  distant. 

We  made  a  good  stalk,  but  I  only  wounded  the  animal  at 


272 


ISHAILlA. 


which  I  fired  at  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  and  they 
galloped  off  through  the  open  forest.  I  heard  the  bullet  from 
the  left-hand  barrel  strike  a  tree-stein,  which  saved  the  antelope ; 
but  having  quickly  reloaded,  I  had  a  clear  and  steady  shot  at  a 
long  range  as  the  large  buck  suddenly  stopped  and  looked  back. 
I  put  up  the  last  sight  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  and  took 
a  full  bead.  To  my  great  satisfaction,  the  water-buck,  with  a 
line  set  of  horns,  dropped  dead.  I  could  not  measure  the  dis- 
tance accurately,  as  we  had  to  descend  a  rocky  bank,  and  then, 
crossing  the  bed  of  the  Asua,  to  ascend  the  steep  north  bank  be- 
fore we  arrived  at  tolerably  level  ground. 

Upon  reaching  the  animal,  I  found  the  bullet  in  the  neck, 
where  it  had  divided  the  spine.  I  guessed  the  distance  at  about 
two  hundred  and  forty  yards.  Some  of  our  Lobore  natives,  who 
had  kept  at  a  distance  behind  us,  now  came  up,  and  in  a  short 
time  the  noble  water-buck  was  cut  up  and  the  flesh  carried  into 
camp.  This  species  of  antelope,  when  in  good  condition,  weighs 
about  thirty  stone  (cleaned). 

On  March  2d  we  started  at  6  a.m.,  and  marched  at  a  rapid  rate 
through  a  hard  and  excellent  path,  which  inclined  upward  from 
the  river  for  about  eisrht  miles. 

The  bush  was  very  open,  and  in  many  portions  the  country 
was  a  succession  of  deep  dells,  which  in  the  wet  season  were  cov- 
ered with  high  grass;  but  at  this  time  the  young  grass  was  hard- 
ly three  inches  high,  having  sprouted  after  the  recent  fires. 

From  an  altitude  of  about  one  thousand  feet  above  the  Asua 
river,  we  had  a  splendid  view  of  the  entire  landscape. 

On  the  east,  at  about  fifty  miles  distant,  was  the  fine  range  of 
lofty  mountains  that  stretched  in  a  long  line  toward  Latooka. 
On  the  west,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  White  Nile,  which  now 
flowed  almost  beneath  our  feet,  was  the  precipitous  mountain 
Neri,  known  by  the  Arab  traders  as  Gebel  Kuku.  This  fine 
mass  of  rock  descends,  in  a  series  of  rugged  terraces,  from  a 
height  of  between  three  and  four  thousand  feet  to  the  Nile,  at  a 
point  where  the  river  boils  through  a  narrow  gorge  between  the 
mountains.  It  is  in  this  passage  that  the  principal  falls  take 
place  which  I  witnessed  in  my  former  journey.  At  that  time 
our  path  led  along  the  rocky  bank  of  the  river,  and  was  both 
difficult  and  dangerous. 

Eight  miles  from  the  Asua  river  now  brought  us  to  the  top  of 
the  pass,  and  having  stopped  for  a  few  moments  to  take  com- 
pass bearings,  we  began  the  somewhat  steep  descent. 

Walking  was  preferable  to  riding;  and  after  a  distance  of  a 


FUTURE  STEAM  TRANSPORT. 


27'A 


couple  of  miles  had  been  accomplished,  we  rounded  the  rocky 
hill  by  crossing  a  ravine  upon  our  right,  and  the  view  of  the 
promised  land  burst  upon  us. 

The  grand  White  Nile  lay  like  a  broad  streak  of  silver  on  our 
right,  as  it  flowed  in  a  calm,  deep  stream  direct  from  the  Albert 
N'yanza;  at  this  spot  above  all  cataracts.  No  water  had  as  yet 
been  broken  by  a  fall ;  the  troubles  of  river-life  lay  in  the  fu- 
ture; the  journey  to  the  sea  might  be  said  to  have  only  just 
commenced.  Here  the  entire  volume  flowed  from  the  Albert 
N'yanza,  distant  hardly  one  degree ;  and  here  had  I  always 
hoped  to  bring  my  steamers,  as  the  starting-point  for  the  open- 
ing of  the  heart  of  Africa  to  navigation. 

I  was  deeply  mortified  when  I  gazed  upon  this  lovely  view, 
and  reflected  upon  the  impossibilities  that  had  prevented  my 
success.  Had  the  White  Nile  been  open  as  formerly,  I  should 
have  transported  the  necessary  camels  from  Khartoum,  and  there 
would  have  been  no  serious  difficulty  in  the  delivery  of  the 
steamers  to  this  point.  Two  or  three  strong  pioneer  parties,  with 
native  assistance,  would  quickly  have  bridged  over  the  narrow 
water-courses  and  have  cleared  a  rough  road  through  the  forests 
as  the  carts  advanced. 

It  was  useless  to  repine.    I  still  hoped  to  accomplish  the  work. 

We  now  descended  into  the  beautiful  plain,  to  which  I  had 
given  the  name  Ibrahimeyah,  in  honor  of  the  father  of  his  High- 
ness the  Khedive  (Ibrahim  Pasha). 

This  point  is  destined  to  become  the  capital  of  Central  Africa. 

The  general  depot  for  the  steamers  will  be  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Un-y-Ame  river ;  which  beautiful  stream,  after  rising  in  the 
prairies  between  Fatiko  and  Unyoro,  winds  through  a  lovely 
country  for  about  eighty  miles,  and  falls  into  the  White  Nile  op- 
posite to  Gebel  Kuku.  The  trade  of  Central  Africa,  when  de- 
veloped by  the  steamers  on  the  Albert  N'yanza,  will  concentrate 
at  this  spot,  whence  it  must  be  conveyed  by  camels  for  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles  to  Gondokoro,  until  at  some  future  time  a 
railway  may  perhaps  continue  the  line  of  steam  communication. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  a  short  line  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  of  railroad  would  open  up  the  very  heart  of  Africa  to  steam 
transport — between  the  Mediterranean  and  the  equator,  when  the 
line  from  Cairo  to  Khartoum  shall  be  completed ! 

The  No.  10  steamer  that  I  had  brought  up  to  Gondokoro  from 
Khartoum  was  originally  built  in  England  for  the  mail  service 
(per  Nile)  between  Alexandria  and  Cairo  at  the  time  when  the 
overland  route  was  made  by  vans  across  the  desert  to  Suez. 


274 


ISMAILlA. 


This  steamer  had  sailed  from  London,  and  had  arrived  complete 
at  Alexandria.  It  appears  almost  impossible  that  she  is  now 
floating  at  an  altitude  of  nearly  two  thousand  feet  above  the  sea- 
level  ;  to  which  great  elevation  she  has  actually  steamed  from  the 
Mediterranean.  Thus,  starting  from  a  base-line,  and  producing  a 
line  perpendicular  to  the  sea-level  of  two  thousand  feet,  she  has 
climbed  up  the  Nile  to  her  present  high  position. 

Accepting  the  approximate  length  of  the  Nile  in  all  its  windings 
from  the  Mediterranean  to  N.  lat.  4°  38'  at  three  thousand  miles  in 
round  numbers,  this  will  give  an  average  rise  or  fall  in  the  river 
of  nine  inches  per  mile  ;  w7hich  easily  explains  the  position  of  the 
steamer  at  her  most  remote  point  below  the  last  cataracts. 

I  reveled  in  this  lovely  country.  The  fine  park-like  trees  were 
clumped  in  dark-green  masses  here  and  there.  The  tall  dolape- 
palms  {Borassus  Ethiopicus)  were  scattered  about  the  plain,  some- 
times singly,  at  others  growing  in  considerable  numbers.  High 
and  bold  rocks;  near  and  distant  mountains;  the  richest  plain 
imaginable  in  the  foreground,  with  the  clear  Un-y-Ame  flowing 
now  in  a  shallow  stream  between  its  lofty  banks,  and  the  grand 
old  Nile  upon  our  right,  all  combined  to  form  a  landscape  that 
produced  a  paradise. 

The  air  was  delightful.  There  was  an  elasticity  of  spirit,  the 
result  of  a  pure  atmosphere,  that  made  one  feel  happy  in  spite  of 
many  anxieties.  My  legs  felt  like  steel  as  we  strode  along  before 
the  horses,  with  rifle  on  shoulder,  into  the  magnificent  valley,  in 
which  the  mountain  we  had  descended  seemed  to  have  taken  root. 

The  country  was  full  of  game.  Antelopes  in  great  numbers, 
and  in  some  variety,  started  from  their  repose  in  this  beautiful 
wilderness;  and  having  for  a  few  moments  regarded  the  strange 
sights  of  horses,  and  soldiers  in  scarlet  uniform,  they  first  trot- 
ted and  then  cantered  far  awaj.  The  graceful  leucotis  stood  in 
herds  upon  the  river's  bank,  and  was  the  last  to  retreat. 

I  selected  a  shady  spot  within  a  grove  of  heglik-trees  for  a  biv- 
ouac, and  leaving  my  wife  w7ith  a  guard,  and  the  horses,  I  at  once 
started  off  with  Lieutenant  Baker  to  procure  some  venison. 

We  returned  after  a  couple  of  hours,  having  shot  five  ante- 
lopes. The  native  name  for  this  part  of  the  country  is  Afuddo. 
Our  present  halting-place  was  thirty-seven  miles  from  Lobore. 
Formerly  there  were  villages  in  this  neighborhood,  but  they  had 
been  destroyed  by  the  slave- hunters.  Fortunately  I  had  pre- 
pared a  stock  of  flour  sufficient  for  the  entire  journey  to  Fatiko, 
as  this  country  was  quite  desolate. 

In  my  last  visit  to  this  country  I  had  thoroughly  studied  its 


THE  LO BORES  KILL  A  BUFFALO. 


275 


features;  thus  I  felt  quite  at  home,  and  I  knew  my  route  in  ev- 
ery direction.  The  mountain  of  Shooa  was  distinctly  visible, 
where  I  had  camped  for  four  or  five  months ;  thus  it  would  be 
impossible  for  the  Lobore  people  to  deceive  me. 

Abou  Saood  had  four  stations  throughout  this  lovely  country, 
i.  e.,  Fatiko,  Fabbo,  Faloro,  and  Farragenia.  I  was  now  steering 
for  Fatiko,  as  it  was  a  spot  well  known  to  me,  and  exactly  on  my 
proposed  road  to  Unyoro. 

On  February  3d  we  marched  at  6  A.M.,  and  continued  along 
the  plain  toward  the  rising  country  that  led  to  Shooa.  At  six 
miles  from  the  halting-place  we  took  bearings: 

Shooa  hill,  ahout  thirty-five  miles  distant,  bearing  162^° 
Akiko  "  "  sixteen  "  "  "  321^° 
GebelKuku  "     nine  "        "  "  299^° 

Our  course  lay  toward  the  S.S.E.,  beneath  a  "wall-like  range  of 
precipitous  rocky  hills  upon  our  left,  in  no  place  higher  than  two 
hundred  feet.  The  guides  were  at  fault,  and  no  water  could  be 
found  upon  the  road. 

A  herd  of  tetel  (Antelope  Bubalis)  upon  our  right  tempted  me, 
and,  jumping  off  my  horse,  I  made  a  fair  stalk,  and  killed  a  fine 
beast  with  the  ''Dutchman"  at  two  hundred  and  ten  yards. 

Every  one  was  thirsty,  as  the  sun  was  hot,  and  the  wall-like 
rocks  upon  our  left  reflected  the  heat.  At  length  we  discovered 
natives  squatting  upon  the  very  summits  of  the  perpendicular 
cliffs,  and,  after  some  trouble,  we  succeeded  in  coaxing  them 
down.  Two  of  these  people  volunteered  to  lead  us  to  water,  and 
they  took  us  to  a  steep  rocky  ravine,  in  the  bottom  of  which  was 
a  pool  of  dirty  liquid  that  had  been  bathed  in  by  wild  buffaloes. 
My  men  quickly  began  to  dig  sand  wells  with  their  hands,  until 
the  main  body  of  the  troops  and  cattle  arrived. 

In  about  an  hour  I  heard  a  great  hubbub,  with  a  noise  of 
quarreling  and  shouting;  every  one  was  running  toward  the 
spot.  It  appeared  that  a  wild  buffalo  which  was  ignorant  of  our 
arrival  had  suddenly  visited  his  drinking-place,  and  had  thought- 
lessly descended  the  deep  and  narrow  gorge  to  drink  his  evening 
draught.  The  Loberes  had  espied  him,  and  they  immediately 
rushed  down  and  overwhelmed  him  with  lances  from  the  cliffs 
above.  There  was  now  an  extraordinary  scene  over  the  carcass: 
four  hundred  men  scrambling  over  a  mass  of  blood  and  entrails, 
fighting  and  tearing  with  each  other,  and  cutting  off  pieces  of 
flesh  with  their  lance -heads,  with  which  they  escaped  as  dogs 
may  retreat  with  a  stolen  bone. 


276 


ISMAILIA. 


On  February  4th  we  started  at  6.25  A.M.  The  advent  of  the 
buffalo  was  a  sad  misfortune,  as  it  had  supplied  the  natives  with 
sufficient  flesh  to  feed  them  on  the  road  home;  thus  thirty  Lo- 
bores  had  absconded  during  the  night. 

Fortunately  we  had  already  consumed  many  loads  of  flour.  I 
was  now  obliged  to  divide  two  days'  rations  among  the  troops 
as  extra  weight.  The  light  loads  were  then  doubled.  Brandy- 
boxes  of  twelve  bottles  were  now  lashed  together,  so  as  to  form 
a  load  of  twenty -four.  Several  boxes  of  gin  had  been  entirely 
destroyed  by  the  savage  carriers,  who  had  allowed  them  to  fall 
upon  the  rocks. 

Having  crossed  the  bends  of  the  Un-y-Ame  river  twice,  we 
halted  for  the  night  in  a  fine  open  forest  on  the  south  bank,  be- 
neath a  large  tamarind-tree,  that  yielded  an  abundant  supply  of 
fruit  for  all  hands.  We  had  only  marched  ten  miles,  owing  to 
the  delay  occasioned  by  the  desertion  of  the  carriers. 

On  February  5th  I  led  the  way,  as  the  Lobore  guide  professed 
ignorance  of  the  route  to  Fatiko.  The  fact  was  that  the  Lobores 
had  wished,  on  the  previous  day,  to  take  me  to  Farragenia,  which 
is  two  days  nearer  than  Fatiko.  Had  I  been  ignorant  of  the 
country,  we  should  have  been  deceived. 

I  now  tied  the  guide  by  the  neck,  together  with  the  sheik's 
son,  to  whom  I  explained  that  they  would  be  shot  should  another 
man  abandon  his  load.    This  had  the  desired  effect. 

I  steered  through  low,  open  forest,  the  leaves  of  which  had 
been  scorched  off  by  the  fire  that  had  cleared  the  country.  Nei- 
ther a  village  nor  the  print  of  a  human  foot  could  be  seen.  This 
beautiful  district,  that  had  formerly  abounded  in  villages,  had 
been  depopulated  by  the  slave-hunters. 

Having  taken  the  Shooa  mountain  for  a  steering- point,  we 
reached  the  spot  where,  in  former  years,  I  had  passed  five  months 
in  the  camp  of  Ibrahim.  This  also  had  been  destroyed,  in  ad- 
dition to  all  the  numerous  villages  of  the  mountain.  We  had 
marched  fourteen  miles. 

I  gave  orders  that  on  the  morrow  all  the  troops  were  to  ap- 
pear in  their  best  uniforms,  as  we  were  only  six  miles  from  Fati- 
ko, the  principal  station,  where  I  fully  expected  to  meet  Abou 
Saood  himself. 

On  February  6th  we  started  at  6.10  A.M.  We  were  now  in  the 
country  where  I  had  been  well  known  on  my  former  exploration 
— in  the  Paradise  of  Africa,  at  an  elevation  of  four  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea. 


OUR  LINE  OF  MARCH. 


277 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ARRIVAL  AT  FATIKO. 

On  March  6th,  1872,  we  started  from  the  bivouac  at  the  base 
of  the  Shooa  mountain  at  6.10  A.M. 

The  troops  were  in  excellent  spirits,  the  air  was  fresh  and  cool 
in  this  elevated  country,  the  horses  had  been  well  groomed,  and 
the  arms  and  accoutrements  had  been  burnished  on  the  previ- 
ous afternoon,  in  order  to  make  a  good  appearance  before  my  old 
friends,  the  natives  of  Fatiko  and  Shooa. 

The  bright  scarlet  uniforms  and  snow-white  linen  trowsers  of 
two  hundred  and  twelve  men  looked  extremely  gay  upon  the 
fresh,  green  grass,  which  had  lately  sprung  up  throughout  this 
beautiful  park. 

There  was  no  enemy  in  this  country.  From  a  former  residence 
of  five  months  at  Shooa,  both  my  wife  and  myself  were  well 
known  to  the  inhabitants,  and  I  felt  sure  that  our  arrival  would 
be  hailed  with  gladness.  In  my  former  visit  I  had  been  a  suc- 
cessful hunter,  and  had  always  given  the  flesh  to  the  natives; 
thus,  as  the  road  to  a  negro's  heart  is  through  his  stomach,  I 
knew  that  my  absence  must  have  been  felt,  and  that  the  recollec- 
tions of  past  times  would  be  savory  and  agreeable. 

I  had  with  me  a  herd  of  one  thousand  and  seventy-eight  cows 
and  one  hundred  and  ninet}7-four  sheep.  No  guard  was  neces- 
sary, and  I  intrusted  the  stock  to  the  care  of  the  three  boatmen, 
and  my  Bari  interpreter,  Morgian. 

The  line  of  march  was  thus  arranged:  Myself,  with  my  wife 
and  Lieutenant  Baker,  on  horseback  in  advance,  preceded  by  the 
guard  of  five  of  the  "Forty  Thieves."  Then  came  Colonel  Abd- 
el-Kader  and  the  remaining  forty -three  composing  the  gallant 
"Forty."  After  which  came  the  regiment,  all  necessarily  in  sin- 
gle file.  Then  came  the  baggage,  with  four  hundred  carriers, 
followed  by  the  herd  of  cattle. 

All  our  boys  were  dressed  in  their  scarlet  uniforms,  and  the 
girls  and  women  generally  had  dressed  in  their  best  clothes. 
Little  Cuckoo,  as  usual,  carried  my  small  traveling-bag  upon  his 
head,  and  kept  his  line  with  the  other  boys,  all  of  whom  assumed 
an  air  that  was  intended  to  be  thoroughly  regimental. 


278 


ISMAILlA. 


In  this  order  the  march  commenced.  The  distance  was  only 
six  miles.    This  was  as  lovely  a  route  as  could  be  conceived. 

Magnificent  trees  (acacias),  whose  thick,  dark  foliage  drooped 
near  the  ground,  were  grouped  in  clumps,  springing  from  the 
crevices  between  huge  blocks  of  granite.  Brooks  of  the  purest 
water  rippled  over  the  time-worn  channels,  cut  through  granite 
plateaux ;  and  as  we  halted  to  drink  at  the  tempting  stream  the 
water  tasted  as  cold  as  though  from  a  European  spring. 

The  entire  country  on  our  left  was  a  succession  of  the  most 
beautiful  rocky  undulations  and  deep,  verdant  glades,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  which  flowed  perennial  streams.  The  banks  of  these  rivu- 
lets were  richly  clothed  with  ornamental  timber,  the  rich  foliage 
contrasting  strongly  with  the  dark  gray  blocks  of  granite,  resem- 
bling the  ruins  of  ancient  towers. 

We  traveled  along  a  kind  of  hog's  back,  which  formed  the 
water -shed  to  the  wTest.  As  we  ascended,  until  we  reached  a 
large  plateau  of  clean  granite  of  about  two  acres,  we  broke  upon 
a  magnificent  panorama,  which  commanded  an  extensive  view 
of  the  whole  country. 

On  the  west  wTe  looked  down  upon  the  magnificent  country 
through  which  we  had  arrived,  and  the  view  stretched  far  away 
beyond  the  Nile,  until  it  met  the  horizon  bounded  by  the  gray 
outline  of  the  distant  mountains. 

No  one  could  feel  unhappy  in  such  a  scene.  I  trod  upon  my 
old  ground,  every  step  of  which  I  knew ;  and  I  felt  an  exhilara- 
tion of  spirits  at  the  fact  that  I  was  once  more  here  in  the  new 
capacity  of  a  deliverer  who  would  be  welcomed  with  open  arm? 
by  the  down-trodden  natives  of  the  country. 

Having  descended  from  the  clean  plateau  of  rock,  we  carefully 
rode  across  a  slippery  channel  that  had  been  worn  by  the  sandy 
torrents  of  the  rainy  season,  and  once  more  arrived  at  level 
ground.    We  were  now  on  the  great  table-land  of  Fatiko. 

Upon  our  left,  a  mass  of  bold  ruins,  the  skeleton  granite  re- 
mains of  a  perished  mountain,  which  formed  a  shelter  from  the 
morning  sun,  tempted  us  to  halt. 

We  had  thus  suddenly  appeared  upon  the  greensward  of  the 
plateau  without  the  slightest  warning  to  the  inhabitants  of  Fa- 
tiko. About  a  mile  before  us  stood  the  large  station  of  Abou 
Saood,  which  occupied  at  least  thirty  acres.  On  our  right  we 
were  hemmed  in  by  a  pure  wTall  of  granite,  sloped  like  a  huge 
whale,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  long  and  one  hundred  feet 
high.  The  southern  extremity  of  tins  vast  block  of  clean  granite 
was  the  rocky  and  fantastic  hill  of  Fatiko,  crested  with  fine  tim- 


ARRIVAL  AT  FATIKO. 


279 


ber.  Tc  our  left,  and  straight  before  us,  was  a  perfectly  flat  plain 
like  a  race-course,  the  south  end  being  a  curious  and  beautiful 
assemblage  of  immense  granite  blocks  and  splendid  groups  of 
weeping  acacia. 

A  large  village  occupied  the  base  of  Fatiko  hill   The 

bugles  and  drums  sounded  "the  advance."  The  echoes  rang 
from  the  hard  granite  rock  as  the  unusual  sound  gave  the  first 
warning  of  our  presence. 

I  had  dismounted  from  my  horse,  and  was  watching  the  slav- 
er's camp  with  a  powerful  telescope  as  the  bugles  sounded  and 
the  men  fell  into  order. 

A  number  of  people  ran  out  of  the  camp,  and  stared  at  the 
blaze  of  scarlet  uniforms,  which  must  have  appeared  as  a  larger 
force  than  the  reality,  owing  to  the  bright  contrast  of  red  with 
the  green  turf. 

In  an  instant  there  was  confusion  in  the  camp.  I  soon  distin- 
guished immense  numbers  of  slaves  being  driven  quickly  out, 
and  hurried  away  to  the  south.  The  slaver's  drum  beat,  and  a 
number  of  crimson  flags  were  seen  advancing  from  the  camp 
until  they  halted  and  formed  a  line  close  to  the  entrance  of  the 
village.  I  now  saw  natives  rushing  wildly  from  the  villages,  and 
appearing  in  all  directions,  armed  with  spears  and  shields. 

Some  time  elapsed  before  the  cattle  and  baggage  arrived.  In 
the  mean  time  I  waited,  perched  on  a  block  of  granite,  with  my 
telescope,  watching  every  movement.  There  was  no  doubt  that 
our  sudden  arrival  had  caused  intense  excitement.  I  saw  men 
running  from  the  trader's  station  to  the  large  village  opposite  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill. 

At  length  I  observed  two  men  approaching  from  the  trader's 
station. 

We  were  not  yet  ready  for  a  general  advance ;  therefore,  as 
the  servants  and  carriers,  cattle,  etc.,  fell  into  order,  the  band 
struck  up  some  Turkish  airs,  which  sounded  extremely  wild  and 
appropriate  to  the  savagely-beautiful  scenery  around  us. 

In  the  mean  time  the  two  messengers  approached.  They  were 
both  filthy  dirty-,  and  appeared  to  be  clad  in  dark-brown  leather. 
One  man  seemed  to  hesitate,  and  stood  about  sixty  yards  distant, 
and  demanded  who  we  were.  Upon  hearing  from  Colonel  Abd- 
el-Kader  that  it  was  "the  Pasha,"  and  that  "he  need  not  be 
afraid,"  he  told  us  that  Abou  Saood  was  at  the  station,  and  that 
he  would  run  back  with  the  news. 

The  other  messenger  came  timidly  forward  until  he  stood 
close  beneath  me.    My  wife  was  on  horseback  by  my  side. 


280 


ISMAlLlA. 


Can  it  be  possible?  —  Mohammed,  my  old  Cairo  servant  of 
former  years?  The  grand  dragoman  of  the  Lower  Nile  reduced 
to  this!  My  wife  exclaimed,  "Ah,  Mohammed,  I  am  very  glad 
to  see  you;  but  how  wretched  you  appear!" 

This  was  too  much  for  the  prodigal  son ;  he  seized  my  wife's 
hand  to  kiss,  and  burst  into  tears. 

Poor  Mohammed !  he  had  gone  through  many  trials  since  we 
last  met.  When  I  left  him  in  Khartoum  ill  with  guinea-worm  in 
the  leg,  he  was  on  his  way  to  Cairo ;  but  after  my  departure  he 
had  been  tempted  by  the  slave-traders  to  re-engage  in  the  infamous 
but  engrossing  career,  and  he  too  had  become  a  slave -hunter. 
He  had  never  received  any  pay,  as  the  custom  of  the  slavers  was 
to  pay  their  men  in  slaves.  Mohammed  had  never  been  fortu- 
nate in  his  domestic  affairs;  he  was  not  a  favorite  of  the  ladies; 
thus  his  female  slaves  had  all  run  away;  his  fortune  had  walk- 
ed off,  and  he  was  left  a  beggar,  with  an  overdrawn  account  in 
slaves. 

Mohammed  had  never  been  a  good  English  scholar,  but  want 
of  practice  during  many  years  had  almost  obscured  the  light 
of  his  former  learning,  which  was  now  reduced  to  the  faintest 
glimmer. 

The  bugles  now  sounded  "the  advance,"  and  we  marched  for- 
ward in  admirable  order,  with  the  band  playing. 

In  the  mean  time  several  natives  had  approached  ;  and  having 
recognized  Lady  Baker  and  myself,  they  immediately  raced  back 
to  the  village  with  the  news. 

My  men  looked  remarkably  well,  and  the  advance  into  Fatiko 
was  a  sight  that  was  entirely  new  to  Central  Africa.  We  were 
in  magnificent  order  for  work,  with  a  hardy,  disciplined  force  of 
two  hundred  and  twelve  men,  and  a  stock  of  cattle  and  merchan- 
dise that  would  carry  us  to  any  direction  I  might  desire. 

This  arrival,  in  such  perfect  organization,  was  a  fatal  blow  to 
the  hopes  and  intrigues  of  Abou  Saood.  I  was  actually  among 
them,  in  the  very  nest  and  hot -bed  of  the  slavers,  in  spite  of 
every  difficulty. 

Abou  Saood  came  to  meet  me,  with  his  usual  humble  appear- 
ance, as  we  neared  his  station,  and  he  cringingly  invited  us  to 
rest  in  some  huts  that  had  just  been  prepared  for  our  reception. 

I  declined  the  invitation,  and  prepared  to  camp  beneath  some 
grand  acacias  among  the  granite  rocks  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
beyond,  where  I  had  rested  some  years  ago.  I  accordingly  led 
the  way  until  we  arrived  at  a  very  beautiful  spot,  among  some 
immense  granite  blocks,  shaded  by  the  desired  foliage.  Here 


REVIEW  THE  TBOOrS. 


281 


the  word  was  given,  "Halt!"  and  the  tent  was  quickly  pitched 
in  a  favorable  locality. 

We  were  now  distant  from  the  junction  of  the  Un-y-Ame  river 
forty-eight  miles,  from  Lobore  eighty-five  miles,  and  from  Gon- 
dokoro  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  miles. 

Abou  Saood  ordered  his  people  to  bring  a  number  of  straw 
roofs  from  his  station,  to  form  a  protection  for  the  officers.  The 
men  quickly  housed  themselves  in  temporary  huts,  and  the  cat- 
tle were  placed  for  the  night  in  a  regular  amphitheatre  of  rock, 
which  formed  an  excellent  position. 

On  March  8th  I  reviewed  the  troops,  and  having  given  the  na- 
tives warning  of  my  intention,  I  had  a  sham-fight  and  attack  of 
the  Shooa  mountain.  Having  fired  several  rockets  at  a  supposed 
enemy,  the  troops  advanced  in  two  companies  to  the  north  and 
south  extremities  of  the  mountain,  which  they  scaled  with  great 
activity,  and  joined  their  forces  on  the  clean  plateau  of  granite 
on  the  summit  of  the  ridge.  The  effect  was  very  good,  and  ap- 
peared to  delight  the  natives,  who  had  assembled  in  considerable 
numbers.  After  firing  several  volleys,  the  troops  descended  the 
hill,  and  marched  back,  with  the  band  playing. 

The  music  of  our  band  being  produced  simply  by  a  consider- 
able number  of  bugles,  drums,  and  cymbals,  aided  by  a  large 
military  bass -drum,  might  not  have  been  thought  first-rate  in 
Europe,  but  in  Africa  it  was  irresistible. 

The  natives  are  passionately  fond  of  music ;  and  I  believe  the 
safest  way  to  travel  in  those  wild  countries  would  be  to  play  the 
cornet,  if  possible,  without  ceasing,  which  would  insure  a  safe 
passage.  A  London  organ-grinder  would  march  through  Central 
Africa  followed  by  an  admiring  and  enthusiastic  crowd,  who,  if 
his  tunes  were  lively,  would  form  a  dancing  escort  of  the  most 
untiring  material. 

As  my  troops  returned  to  their  quarters,  with  the  band  play- 
ing rather  lively  airs,  we  observed  the  women  racing  down  from 
their  villages,  and  gathering  from  all  directions  toward  the  com- 
mon centre.  As  they  approached  nearer,  the  charms  of  music 
were  overpowering,  and,  halting  for  an  instant,  they  assumed 
what  they  considered  the  most  graceful  attitudes,  and  then  danced 
up  to  the  band. 

In  a  short  time  my  buglers  could  hardly  blow  their  instru- 
ments for  laughing  at  the  extraordinary  effect  of  their  perform- 
ance. A  fantastic  crowd  surrounded  them,  as  they  halted  in 
our  position  among  the  rocks,  and  every  minute  added  to  their 
number. 


ISMAILlA. 


The  women  throughout  the  Shooli  are  entirely  naked;  thus 
the  effect  of  a  female  crowd,  bounding  madly  about  as  musical 
enthusiasts,  was  very  extraordinary.  Even  the  babies  were 
brought  out  to  dance;  and  these  infants,  strapped  to  their  moth- 
ers' backs,  and  covered  with  pumpkin-shells,  like  young  tortoises, 
were  jolted  about  without  the  slightest  consideration  for  the 
weakness  of  their  necks  by  their  infatuated  mothers. 

As  usual,  among  all  tribes  in  Central  Africa,  the  old  women 
were  even  more  determined  dancers  than  the  young  girls.  Sev- 
eral old  Venuses  were  making  themselves  extremely  ridiculous, 
as  they  sometimes  do  in  civilized  countries  when  attempting  the 
allurements  of  younger  days. 

The  men  did  not  share  in  the  dance,  but  squatted  upon  the 
rocks  in  great  numbers  to  admire  the  music,  and  to  witness  the 
efforts  of  their  wives  and  daughters. 

The  men  of  Shooli  and  Fatiko  are  the  best  proportioned  that 
I  have  seen ;  without  the  extreme  height  of  the  Shillooks  or 
Dinkas,  they  are  muscular  and  well  knit,  and  generally  their 
faces  are  handsome. 

The  women  were  inclined  to  a  short  stature,  but  were  very 
strong  and  compact.  It  was  singular  that  throughout  the  great 
Shooli  country,  of  which  Fatiko  is  simply  a  district,  while  the 
women  are  perfectly  naked,  the  men  are  partially  clothed  with 
the  skin  of  an  antelope,  slung  across  the  shoulders,  and  covering 
the  lower  part  of  the  body  like  a  scarf.  In  other  countries  that 
I  had  passed  the  men  were  quite  naked,  while  the  women  were 
decently  covered. 

After  the  dance,  I  was  visited  by  several  natives  who  had 
known  me  in  former  years,  among  whom  was  my  old  guide,  Gi- 
moro,  who  had  first  led  me  to  Unyoro.  Another  excellent  man 
named  Shooli  now  gave  me  all  the  intelligence  of  the  country. 
Both  these  men  spoke  Arabic. 

It  was  a  repetition  of  the  old  story.  The  country  was  half 
ruined  by  the  acts  of  Abou  Saood's  people.  The  natives  were 
afraid  to  resist  them  in  this  neighborhood,  as  every  adjacent 
country  had  been  plundered,  and  the  women  and  children  car- 
ried off.  Abou  Saood  had  not  expected  that  I  could  leave  Gon- 
dokoro,  but  he  had  told  the  Shooli  natives  to  attack  me  if  I 
should  arrive;  thus  on  the  day  of  my  appearance,  the  natives, 
being  ignorant  of  my  presence,  had  considered  the  dreaded  Pasha 
must  be  an  enemy,  until  they  had  recognized  my  wife  and  my- 
self as  their  old  friends. 

Upon  that  day,  when  I  had  observed  the  natives  running  to 


FACIFIC  INTENTIONS  ASSURED. 


283 


and  fro  with  spears  and  shields,  Abou  Saood  had  told  them  to  at- 
tack me  at  once,  and  he  had  promised  that  his  people  should  as- 
sist the  Fatikos;  but  when  the  natives  saw  our  powerful  force 
they  had  known  that  an  attack  would  be  useless.  They  had  ac- 
cordingly sent  men  to  discover  our  intentions,  and  these  messen- 
gers had  reported  my  return  to  their  country  in  the  capacity  of 
Pasha  commanding  the  expedition. 

My  old  friends  now  assured  me,  in  reply  to  my  explanation  of 
the  Khedive's  intentions,  that  the  whole  country  would  rally 
around  a  good  government,  and  that  all  that  the  poor  people  de- 
sired was  protection  and  justice.  The  fact  of  my  return  would 
give  confidence  throughout  the  country  ;  and  the  news  had  al- 
ready been  carried  to  the  great  sheik,  Kot  Jarma,  who  had  never 
visited  Abou  Saood  or  his  people,  but  who  would  quickly  tender 
his  allegiance  to  me  as  the  representative  of  the  Khedive. 

I  told  Gimoro  and  Shooli  to  inform  the  head  men,  and  the 
people  generally  throughout  the  country,  of  my  pacific  inten- 
tions, and  to  have  no  fear,  now  that  the  government  was  repre- 
sented, as  it  would  be  impossible  that  the  atrocities  committed  by 
the  slave- hunters  of  Abou  Saood  should  recur.  At  the  same 
time  I  explained  that  in  about  twenty  days  the  contract  entered 
into  between  Agad  &  Co.  with  the  Soudan  government  would 
expire,  and  Abou  Saood  would  be  compelled  to  withdraw  all  his 
people  from  the  country,  which  would  then  remain  solely  in  the 
hands  of  the  Khedive. 

Throughout  the  subsequent  expedition  I  could  always  rely 
upon  the  fidelity  of  these  two  men,  Gimoro  and  Shooli. 

After  their  departure  to  spread  the  good  news  far  and  wide,  I 
had  a  long  conversation  with  my  old  servant  Mohammed,  who  I 
knew  would  give  me  every  information  respecting  the  acts  of 
Abou  Saood  and  his  people,  as  he  had  been  among  them  in  these 
parts  for  many  years. 

He  told  me  that  my  arrival  at  Fatiko  was  supposed  to  be  im- 
possible, as  the  Gondokoro  natives  wrere  known  to  be  hostile'to 
the  government;  therefore  it  would  be  impossible  to  transport 
the  baggage.  Although  the  Baris  were  at  war  with  the  govern- 
ment, Abou  Saood  had  about  seventy  of  these  natives  at  Fati- 
ko, armed  with  muskets,  in  his  employ;  thus  he  was  openly  in 
league  with  the  enemies  of  the  Khedive's  government. 

The  report  among  the  slave  companies  asserted  that  Abou 
Saood  had  been  in  league  with  Raouf  Bey  to  frustrate  the  expe- 
dition ;  thus  the  conspiracy  of  the  officers  headed  by  Kaouf  Bey, 
which  I  had  checkmated,  was  the  grand  move  to  effect  a  col- 

22 


284 


ISMAILlA. 


lapse  of  the  expedition,  and  to  leave  a  clear  field  for  the  slave- 
traders. 

tk  Up  to  the  present  time,  my  arrangements  have  been  able  to 
overpower  all  opposition. 

"  The  success  of  the  corn  collection  at  the  moment  of  the  con- 
spiracy was  fatal  to  the  machinations  of  Kaouf  Bey,  and  secured 
me  the  confidence  of  the  troops. 

"  The  success  of  every  attack  that  I  have  personally  command- 
ed has  clinched  this  confidence. 

"  The  traders'  people  are  discontented  with  their  leaders  ;  they 
are  without  clothes  or  wages. 

"  Their  parties  have  been  massacred  in  several  directions  by 
the  natives.  Nearly  five  hundred  loads  of  ivory  have  been 
burned,  together  with  one  of  their  stations,  by  a  night  attack  of 
the  Madi,  in  which  the  slave-hunters  lost  thirty-five  killed,  and 
the  rest  of  the  party  only  escaped  in  the  darkness,  and  fled  to  the 
forests. 

"  Thus  I  come  upon  them  at  a  moment  when  they  are  divided 
in  their  feelings.  A  dread  of  the  government  is  mingled  with 
confidence  in  the  arrival  of  a  strong  military  force,  which  would 
be  auxiliary  in  the  event  of  a  general  uprising  of  the  country." 

I  found  several  of  my  old  men  engaged  as  slave -hunters. 
These  people,  who  had  behaved  well  on  my  former  voyage,  con- 
fided all  the  news,  and  were  willing  to  serve  the  government. 
Karnrasi,  the  former  king  of  Unyoro,  was  dead,  and  had  been 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Kabba  Kega. 

Some  few  of  the  people  of  Abou  Saood  had  been  on  a  visit  to 
the  king  M'tese  at  Uganda.  This  powerful  ruler  had  been  much 
improved  by  his  personal  communication  with  the  traders  of 
Zanzibar.  He  had  become  a  Mohammedan,  and  had  built  a 
mosque.  Even  his  vizier  said  his  daily  prayers  like  a  good  Mus- 
sulman, and  M'tese  no  longer  murdered  his  wives.  If  he  cut 
the  throat  of  either  man  or  beast,  it  was  now  done  in  the  name 
of  God,  and  the  king  had  become  quite  civilized,  according  to 
the  report  of  the  Arab  envoys.  He  kept  clerks  who  could  cor- 
respond by  letters  in  Arabic,  and  he  had  a  regiment  armed  with 
a  thousand  guns,  in  addition  to  the  numerous  forces  at  his  com- 
mand. 

The  Arab  envoys  of  Abou  Saood  had  been  treated  like  dogs 
by  the  great  M'tese,  and  they  had  slunk  back  abashed,  and  were 
only  glad  to  be  allowed  to  depart.  They  declared  that  such  a 
country  would  not  suit  their  business ;  the  people  were  too  strong 
for  them  ;  and  the  traders  from  Zanzibar  purchased  their  ivo- 


SACRIFICE  AND  WASTE  OF  CATTLE. 


285 


ry  from  M'tese  with  cotton  stuffs,  silks,  guns,  and  powder,  brass- 
coil  bracelets,  beads,  etc.  The  beads  were  exchanged  by  equal 
weight  for  ivory. 

"Even  at  Fatiko  the  brass- coil  bracelets  from  Zanzibar  are 
now  common.  Some  of  Abou  Saood's  people  are  actually  dress- 
ed in  Manchester  manufactures  that  have  arrived  via  Zanzibar  at 
Unyoro.  This  is  a  terrible  disgrace  to  the  Soudan  authorities ; 
thus  the  Zanzibar  traders  are  purchasing  by  legitimate  dealing 
ivory  that  should,  geographically  speaking,  belong  to  Cairo. 

"While  fair  dealing  is  the  rule  south  of  the  equator,  piracy 
and  ruin  are  the  rule  north. 

"Abou  Saood  and  his  people  are  now  in  a  dilemma.  For 
many  years  they  have  pillaged  the  country  ;  and  after  having 
taught  the  natives  to  regard  cows  as  the  only  medium  of  ex- 
change for  ivory,  they  have  at  length  exhausted  the  cattle.  Thus 
the  transport  of  their  large  stock  of  ivory  has  for  a  time  become 
impossible,  as  sufficient  cows  can  not  be  collected  for  the  purpose. 

"Every  load  from  Fatiko  to  Ismailia  (Grondokoro)  requires 
two  cows ;  one  to  Lobore,  and  another  thence  to  the  journey's 
end. 

"By  the  Nile  traders'  arrangements,  the  companies  of  Abou 
Saood  receive  as  their  perquisite  .one-third  of  all  the  cattle  that 
may  be  stolen  in  successful  razzias. 

"  The  consumption  of  cattle  by  these  brigands  is  enormous. 
All  flour  is  purchased  in  exchange  for  flesh,  while  flesh  is  also 
necessary  for  food ;  thus  the  cow  is  being  eaten  at  both  ends. 

"The  frightful  drain  upon  the  country  may  be  imagined  by 
the  following  calculation,  which  is  certainly  below  the  truth  : 

"If  1000  loads  of  ivory  must  be  carried  to  Ismailia, 
2000    cows  are  required  as  payment  of  carriers. 

To  capture  in  a  razzia  3000  cows, 
1000    belong  to  tbe  brigands  as  their  perquisite  ; 

_300    are  necessary  to  feed  the  native  carriers  and  soldiers  during  the  journey ; 
3300    cows  are  required  to  deliver  1000  loads  of  ivory  a  distance  of  1G5  miles, 
from  Fatiko  to  Ismailia  (Gondokoro). 

A  station  of  350  men  consumes  daily  700  lbs. 

In  addition,  they  require  to  exchange  for  flour   350  lbs. 

Daily  consumption  of  flesh   1050  lbs. 

"The  oxen  of  the  country  do  not  average  more  than  170  lbs.  cleaned. 
2255    beasts  are  thus  required  annually. 

5555    oxen  are  necessary  to  feed  and  pay  for  the  transport  from  a  station  only 
350  strong,  according  to  the  customs  of  White  Nile  brigandage. 

"  It  must  be  remembered  that  at  least  a  thousand,  and  some- 
times double  that  number  of  slaves,  are  prisoners  in  each  station. 


286 


JSMAILfA. 


All  these  must  be  fed.  The  same  principle  is  adopted  in  the  ex- 
change of  flesh  for  flour;  thus  the  expenditure  of  cattle  is  fright- 
ful. Not  only  oxen,  but  all  the  breeding  cows  and  young  calves 
are  killed  without  the  slightest  reflection.  No  country  can  sup- 
port such  willful  waste ;  thus,  after  many  years  of  ravage,  this 
beautiful  country  has  become  almost  barren  of  cattle.  The  cen- 
tral districts  occupied  by  the  slave-traders  having  been  denuded 
of  cattle,  it  has  become  necessary  to  make  journeys  to  distant 
countries." 

The  slave-hunters  of  Abou  Saood  had  recently  suffered  a  ter- 
rible defeat  at  the  hands  of  the  warlike  tribe  of  Umiro,  which 
was  a  just  reward  for  the  horrible  treachery  of  their  party. 

A  man  named  Ali  Hussein  was  a  well-known  employe  of  Abou 
Saood.  This  ruffian  was  an  Arab.  He  was  a  tall,  wiry  fellow, 
with  a  determined  but  brutal  cast  of  countenance,  who  was  cele- 
brated as  a  scoundrel  among  scoundrels.  Even  his  fellows  dread- 
ed his  brutality.  There  was  no  crime  that  he  had  not  commit- 
ted, and  as  his  only  virtue  was  extreme  daring,  his  reputation 
was  terrible  among  the  native  population. 

This  fellow  had  waited  upon  my  orders  daily  since  my  arrival 
at  Fatiko. 

At  the  death  of  the  former  vakeel  of  Fatiko,  Ali  Hussein  had 
succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  station. 

He  had  arranged  to  make  a  descent  upon  the  Umiro  tribe, 
about  six  days'  march  to  the  south-east. 

He  accordingly  sent  natives  as  spies,  with  specious  messages  to 
the  Umiro,  announcing  his  intention  of  visiting  them  to  purchase 
ivory. 

With  a  party  increased  by  volunteers  from  other  stations  to  a 
force  of  about  three  hundred  men,  he  arrived  at  Umiro. 

The  simple  natives  received  him  gladly,  and  showed  extreme 
hospitality.  The  country  was  thickly  populated,  and  abounded 
with  vast  herds  of  the  finest  cattle. 

After  a  week's  sojourn  among  the  Umiro,  during  which  he 
had  received  large  presents  of  elephants'  tusks  and  seventy  head 
of  oxen  from  the  confiding  natives,  the  treacherous  ruffian  gave 
an  order  to  his  brigands  at  sunset.  They  were  to  be  under  arms 
an  hour  before  day-break  on  the  following  morning,  to  set  fire  to 
the  adjacent  villages  of  their  generous  hosts,  and  to  capture  their 
large  herds  of  cattle,  together  with  their  women  and  children. 

At  the  time  appointed,  while  every  Umiro  slept,  unconscious 
of  approaching  danger,  several  villages  were  surrounded,  and 
volleys  of  musketry  were  poured  upon  the  sleeping  inmates. 


TREACHERY  OF  ALI  HUSSEIN. 


287 


The  straw  huts  were  ignited,  and  the  flames  rapidly  spread, 
while  a  massacre  commenced  similar  to  the  butcheries  to  which 
the  slave-hunters  were  so  well  accustomed. 

The  Umiro,  thus  taken  by  surprise,  and  appalled  by  so  das- 
tardly a  treachery,  were  easily  defeated.  Their  children  and 
wives  were  captured,  together  with  large  herds  of  cattle,  which 
are  celebrated  for  their  size.  All  these  were  driven  in  triumph 
to  Fatiko. 

The  success  of  this  infernal  scheme  raised  the  reputation  of  Ali 
Hussein  to  the  highest  pitch.  The  reports  of  the  vast  pastoral 
wealth  of  the  Umiro  excited  the  cupidity  of  the  various  compa- 
nies in  the  stations  of  Abou  Saood. 

It  was  determined  to  make  a  grand  attack  upon  a  people  who, 
in  spite  of  their  warlike  character,  had  exhibited  a  total  want  of 
power  to  resist. 

Ali  Hussein  sent  an  expedition  of  about  three  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  in  addition  to  a  large  number  of  Fatiko  allies.  They 
arrived  on  the  borders  of  Umiro,  within  about  an  hour's  march 
of  the  villages  doomed  to  pillage.  The  party  were  under  the 
command  of  a  notorious  ruffian  named  Lazim,  whom  I  had 
known  during  my  former  exploration. 

Upon  arrival  in  the  Umiro  country  during  the  night,  after  a 
forced  march,  he  sent  a  party  of  one  hundred  and  three  men, 
together  with  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  natives,  to  attack  the 
villages  by  a  surprise  at  dawn,  and  to  capture  the  slaves  and  cat- 
tle in  the  usual  manner. 

The  party  started  at  the  early  hour  of  first  cock-crow,  while 
the  main  body  under  Lazim  waited  for  the  result. 

Hours  passed,  but  the  company  did  not  return.  A  few  shots 
had  been  heard  in  the  distance. 

The  country  was  clear  and  open,  but  nothing  could  be  seen. 
There  was  no  lowing  of  cattle,  neither  did  the  heavy  clouds  of 
smoke,  usual  on  such  occasions,  point  out  the  direction  of  burn- 
ing villages. 

Presently  drums  were  heard  in  every  direction ;  the  horns 
and  whistles  of  the  Umiro  sounded  the  alarm,  and  large  bod- 
ies of  natives  rushed  across  the  plain  to  the  attack  of  Lazim's 
party. 

They  had  just  time  to  form,  and  to  post  the  men  around  the 
strong  cattle-kraal,  which  they  had  occupied,  when  the  stream  of 
enemies  came  down  upon  them. 

Upon  the  open  plain  the  Umiro  had  no  chance  in  attacking 
so  well-defended  a  position,  and  the  muskets,  loaded  with  heavy 


238 


TSMAILlA. 


mould-shot,  told  with  great  effect  upon  the  naked  bodies  of  the 
assailants. 

The  Umiro  were  beaten  back  with  some  loss,  and  the  slave- 
hunters  held  the  position,  although  in  a  state  of  terror,  as  they 
felt  that  some  terrible  calamity  must  have  befallen  the  party 
which  had  started  to  surprise  the  villages. 

After  dark  a  Bari  native  cried  out  to  the  sentries  to  let  him 
pass.  This  was  a  wounded  man  of  their  own  party,  the  only  sur- 
vivor of  all  those  who  had  left  the  main  body  on  that  morning. 

The  Bari  described  that  the  Umiro,  having  gained  information 
of  the  intended  attack,  had  lain  in  ambush  within  high  withered 
grass,  in  which  they  had  awaited  the  arrival  of  their  assailants. 

The  slave-hunters  were  advancing  as  usual  in  single  file  along 
the  narrow  track  through  the  high  grass,  unsuspicious  of  an  ene- 
my, when  the  Umiro  rushed  from  both  sides  of  the  ambuscade 
upon  them. 

Taken  by  surprise,  a  panic  seized  the  slave-hunters,  very  few 
of  whom  had  time  to  fire  their  muskets  before  they  were  speared 
by  the  pitiless  Umiro,  who  wreaked  wholesale  vengeance  by  the 
massacre  of  the  entire  party  of  one  hundred  and  three  of  Abou 
Saood's  men  and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  their  allies. 

The  main  body  under  Lazim  were  completely  cowed,  as  they 
feared  an  overwhelming  attack  that  might  exhaust  their  ammu- 
nition. The  Umiro  had  now  become  possessed  of  one  hundred 
and  three  guns  and  several  large  cases  of  cartridges,  in  addition 
to  those  in  the  pouches  of  the  soldiers. 

Night  favored  the  retreat,  and  the  remnant  of  the  expedition 
under  Lazim  returned  by  forced  marches  to  Fatiko. 

The  defeat  had  spread  consternation  among  the  various  sta- 
tions, as  it  followed  closely  upon  the  destruction  of  a  station  be- 
longing to  Abou  Saood  in  the  Madi  country. 

This  zareeba  had  been  under  the  command  of  a  vakeel  named 
Jusef,  who  had  exasperated  the  natives  by  continual  acts  of 
treachery  and  slave-hunting.  They  had  accordingly  combined 
to  attack  the  station  at  night,  and  had  set  fire  to  the  straw  huts 
by  shooting  red-hot  arrows  into  the  inflammable  thatched  roofs. 

These  calamities  had  happened  since  the  arrival  of  Abou  Saood 
in  the  Shooli  country,  and  it  was  he  who  had  given  the  order  to 
attack  the  Umiro.  His  own  people,  being  naturally  superstitious} 
thought  he  had  brought  bad  luck  with  him. 

It  appeared  that  when  Abou  Saood  had  first  arrived  at  Fati- 
ko from  Gondokoro  the  vakeels  of  his  different  stations  were  all 
prepared  for  the  journey  to  deliver  the  ivory.    They  had  given 


ABOU  SAOOD1  S  CHARACTER. 


280 


the  cattle  obtained  in  the  first  attack  upon  Umiro  to  the  native 
carriers  of  Madi  and  Shooli,  and  the  ivory  had  been  arranged  in 
about  two  thousand  loads  for  transport. 

The  sudden  arrival  of  Abou  Saood  changed  all  their  plans,  as 
he  immediately  gave  orders  to  return  the  ivory  to  the  store-huts; 
he  did  not  intend  to  deliver  it  at  Gondokoro  that  year.  He  also 
sent  a  letter  to  his  Latooka  station,  nine  days'  march  to  the  north- 
east, together  with  a  party  of  eighty  men,  with  instructions  to  his 
vakeel  to  deliver  the  ivory  at  the  Bohr  station  below  Gondokoro. 

He  thus  hoped  to  defraud  the  government  out  of  the  two-fifths 
due  to  it  by  contract  with  Agad.  At  the  same  time,  he  had  in- 
tended to  remain  concealed  in  the  interior  of  the  country  until 
I  should  have  returned  to  England  ;  after  which  he  had  no  doubt 
that  affairs  would  continue  in  their  original  position. 

It  may  be  imagined  that  my  sudden  arrival  at  Fatiko  had  dis- 
concerted all  his  plans. 

In  spite  of  his  extreme  cunning,  he  had  overestimated  his  own 
power  of  intrigue,  and  he  had  mismanaged  his  affairs. 

According  to  the  agreement  with  Agad  &  Co.,  the  representa- 
tive of  that  firm,  Abou  Saood,  had  contracted  to  supply  the  gov- 
ernment troops  with  all  provisions  at  a  given  price,  including 
even  sheep  and  butter.  He  was  also  to  assist  the  government 
expedition  in  every  manner,  and  to  supply  not  only  carriers,  but 
even  troops,  should  they  be  necessary. 

I  read  this  contract  to  some  of  his  principal  men,  who  fairly 
laughed  outright  at  the  audacity  of  Abou  Saood  in  subscribing 
to  such  utter  falsehoods. 

Not  only  had  he  secretly  fraternized  with  the  enemy,  instead 
of  assisting  the  government,  but  he  had  cautioned  the  Baris  not 
to  carry  our  loads,  and  he  had  incited  the  Fatiko  natives  to  at- 
tack us.  The  supply  of  food  was  too  ridiculous.  Instead  of  giv- 
ing to  the  troops,  he  had  been  obliged  to  borrow  corn  from  the 
government  magazines  at  Gondokoro  for  his  own  people,  and  I 
had  given  him  two  hundred  cattle  to  save  the  men  from  famine. 

The  deceit  and  treachery  of  this  man  were  beyond  belief.  He 
now  came  to  me  daily  at  Fatiko,  and  swore,  by  the  eyes  of  the 
Prophet,  eternal  fidelity.  He  wished  to  kiss  my  hand,  and  to  as- 
sure me  how  little  his  real  character  had  been  understood,  and 
that  he  felt  sure  I  had  been  influenced  against  him  by  others,  but 
that  in  reality  I  had  no  servant  so  devoted  as  himself.  He  de- 
clared that  he  had  only  attacked  the  Shir  and  stolen  their  cows 
in  order  to  supply  the  government  troops  with  cattle  according 
to  contract. 


'290 


1SMAILIA. 


Iii  spite  of  these  protestations,  he  could  not  explain  his  reason 
for  having  returned  the  ivory  to  store,  instead  of  transporting  it 
to  Gondokoro.  He  therefore  met  the  difficulty  by  a  flat  denial, 
as  usual  calling  upon  the  Prophet  as  a  witness. 

Only  a  few  days  of  his  contract  remained,  at  the  expiration  of 
which  he  should  have  withdrawn  his  establishments  from  the 
country,  according  to  my  written  orders  that  had  been  given 
many  months  ago. 

He  had  entirely  ignored  these  orders,  as  he  had  never  expect- 
ed my  arrival ;  therefore  he  had  concealed  all  such  instructions 
from  his  people,  in  the  hope  that  my  term  of  service  would  ex- 
pire fruitlessly  at  Gondokoro,  and  that  after  my  departure  he 
would  have  little  difficulty  in  arranging  for  the  future  with  his 
friend  Eaouf  Bey,  who  would  most  probably  succeed  to  the  com- 
mand. 

I  at  once  issued  written  orders  to  the  vakeels  of  his  different 
stations  that  at  the  end  of  the  month  Mohurram  the  contract  with 
Agad  would  cease,  and  that  all  future  action  would  be  illegal. 

I  gave  all  employes  of  Abou  Saood  due  notice  that  they  must 
either  quit  the  country,  or  become  respectable  subjects. 

I  gave  them  permission  to  settle  at  Gondokoro,  and  to  com- 
mence farms  on  the  fertile  islands  of  the  Nile  free  of  all  taxation. 
Or,  should  they  wish  to  enter  the  government  service  as  irreg- 
ular troops,  I  offered  the  same  pay  as  the  regulars,  with  the  ad- 
vantage of  an  annual  engagement. 

I  met  several  head  men  whom  I  had  known  in  my  former  jour- 
ney. These  men  found  fault  with  Abou  Saood  for  having  left 
them  in  the  dark  respecting  the  contract  with  the  government; 
and  they  at  once  declared  that  they  should  be  happy  to  serve  as 
irregulars  at  the  expiration  of  the  agreement. 

There  was  a  great  difficulty  respecting  the  ivory,  which  com- 
prised in  all  the  stations  three  thousand  two  hundred  tusks. 

The  cattle  that  had  been  given  to  the  native  carriers  for  the 
transport  of  the  ivory  to  Gondokoro  had  only  partially  been  re- 
turned by  the  disappointed  Madi.  Many  of  these  people  had 
killed  and  eaten  the  beasts,  and  had  declared  that  they  had  died 
when  they  found  the  necessity  of  restoring  them. 

It  was  now  necessary  to  move  the  ivory,  together  with  all  the 
establishments,  to  Gondokoro.  This  would  require  at  least  six 
thousand  cows.  It  was  a  complete  fix.  There  were  no  cows  in 
any  of  Abou  Saood's  stations;  they  had  all  been  consumed;  and 
he  now  came  to  me  with  a  request  that  I  would  lend  him  eighty 
cows,  as  his  people  had  nothing  to  eat. 


MOHAMMED  WAT-EL-MEK. 


291 


It  was  clearly  impossible  to  move  the  ivory.  Thus,  in  spite 
of  my  orders  given  to  Abou  Saood  about  ten  months  previous, 
the  opportunity  of  moving  had  been  lost,  and  the  time  of  depart- 
ure was  reduced  to  sine  die.  This  was  a  hopeless  condition  of 
affairs.  There  were  no  cattle  in  Abou  Saood's  possession ;  and 
without  cattle  the  ivory  could  not  be  moved.  At  the  same  time 
it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  permit  him  to  make  razzias 
upon  distant  countries,  as  I  had  arrived  to  establish  government, 
and  to  afford  protection  to  all  tribes  that  would  declare  their  al- 
legiance. 

I  now  discovered  that  the  principal  vakeel  of  Abou  Saood, 
named  Mohammed  Wat-el-Mek,  had  only  recently  started  with  a 
large  force,  by  Abou  Saood's  orders,  to  invade  the  Koshi  country 
on  the  west  side  of  the  White  Nile,  close  to  its  exit  from  the  Al- 
bert N'yanza. 

This  was  a  tribe  that  could  not  possibly  have  interfered  with 
Abou  Saood ;  but  as  the  cattle  had  been  exhausted  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  river,  he  had  commenced  a  series  of  razzias  upon  the 
west.  The  Koshi  were  people  with  whom  friendship  should 
have  been  established,  as  they  were  on  the  navigable  Nile  that 
would  eventually  be  traversed  by  the  steamer,  when  constructed 
at  Ibrahimeyah.  It  was  thus  that  all  tribes  were  rendered  hos- 
tile by  the  slave-hunters. 

Mohammed  Wat-el-Mek  (son  of  the  king)  was  the  man  who 
had  first  discovered  and  opened  up  the  countries  south  of  Gondo- 
koro.  This  person  was  a  curious  but  useful  character  that  I  had 
always  wished  to  employ,  as  he  had  great  power  with  the  na- 
tives, and  he  knew  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  country. 

I  had  known  him  during  my  former  journey,  and  it  appears 
that  he  had  always  wished  to  serve  me  in  the  present  expedition. 
The  slave-traders  of  Khartoum  had  been  determined  to  prevent 
Wat-el-Mek  from  communicating  with  me;  thus,  when  I  had  ar- 
rived in  Khartoum  this  important  personage  had  actually  been 
there  ;  but  he  had  been  quickly  sent  by  Abou  Saood,  under  some 
frivolous  pretext,  up  the  Blue  Nile,  to  keep  him  out  of  the  way. 

On  arrival  at  Gondokoro,  he  had  studiously  been  retained  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  river,  and  his  name  had  been  kept  so  secret 
that  I  had  never  heard  it  mentioned.  Thus,  although  both  at 
Khartoum  and  at  Gondokoro  Wat-el-Mek  had  been  within  a  few 
hundred  paces  of  me,  I  had  always  supposed  that  he  was  in  Cen- 
tral Africa. 

Abou  Saood  now  declared  that  Wat-el-Mek  had  started  many 
days  ago  from  Fatiko  to  Koshi ;  but  I  subsequently  discovered 


ISMAILl'A. 


that  he  had  only  left  Fatiko  on  the  morning  of  my  arrival,  and 
that  he  was  kept  waiting  at  Fabbo  station,  only  twenty-two  miles 
west  of  Fatiko,  for  several  days,  while  I  had  been  told  by  Abou 
Saood  that  he  had  gone  to  Koshi. 

Mohammed  Wat-el-Mek  was  the  son  of  a  petty  king  far  away 
up  the  Blue  Nile,  beyond  Fazokle. 

He  had  in  early  life  been  a  sergeant,  or  choush,  in  the  Egyp- 
tian army  ;  but  having  an  adventurous  disposition,  he  bad  taken 
to  the  White  Nile,  as  the  vakeel  of  Andrea  Debono,  a  Maltese 
ivory  merchant. 

Mr.  Debono,  being  a  British  subject,  retired  from  the  trade 
when  the  slave-hunting  arrived  at  such  a  pitch  that  it  became 
impossible  for  Europeans  to  continue  business  on  the  White 
Nile* 

Debono  had  amassed  a  considerable  fortune  entirely  through 
the  energy  of  Wat-el-Mek,  who  had  pushed  into  the  interior,  and 
had  established  his  stations  with  considerable  forethought  and 
skill  throughout  the  formerly  un visited  Madi  country. 

Wat-el-Mek  was  an  exceedingly  black  man,  about  the  middle 
height,  and  much  pitted  with  the  small-pox.  While  in  the  serv- 
ice of  Debono,  he  had  commanded  the  station  of  Faloro,  where 
he  had  most  hospitably  received  Speke  and  Grant  on  their  ar- 
rival from  Zanzibar.  These  great  travelers  were  entertained  at 
Faloro  during  many  weeks,  and  were  afterward  conducted  by 
their  host  to  Gondokoro,  where  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet 
them. 

Wat-el-Mek  was  a  very  courageous  fellow ;  and  although  he 
would  not  perhaps  have  been  considered  a  good  character  at  a 
London  police-court,  he  was  a  man  who  would  be  most  useful  to 
an  expedition  in  Central  Africa,  where  his  vicious  propensities 
could  be  restrained  by  the  discipline  of  government. 

When  Speke  parted  from  him  at  Gondokoro,  he  presented  him 
with  a  beautiful  double-barreled  gun  by  Blissett,  in  addition  to 
other  articles. 

The  worst  vice  of  this  man  was  drinking.  When  drunk,  he 
could  be  induced  to  yield  to  any  absurdity.  However,  with  all 
his  faults,  I  should  have  been  glad  of  Wat-el-Mek  to  command 
the  irregular  force. 

In  the  days  when  Debono  was  the  proprietor  of  the  Madi 
station,  Wat-el-Mek  had  been  the  sole  vakeel;  and  although  he 


*  The  slave-trade  arrived  at  such  a  maximum  that  all  European  traders  in  ivory 
were  driven  from  the  White  Nile,  including  Mr.  Petherick,  the  British  consul. 


EASTERN  DISCOVERIES. 


was  a  tyrant,  he  was  not  disliked  by  the  natives.  Since  Debono 
had  sold  his  stations  to  the  firm  of  Agad  &  Co.,  every  separate 
camp  was  governed  by  an  independent  vakeel ;  thus  there  were 
many  tyrants  instead  of  one. 

These  numerous  vakeels  acted  in  opposition  to  each  other  in 
the  purchase  of  ivory.  If  a  native  of  Fatiko  should  take  a  tusk 
to  sell  at  the  station  of  Fabbo,  he  would  run  the  chance  of  being 
shot  upon  his  return,  and  this  system  of  attempted  monopoly  was 
carried  out  throughout  the  country.  This  naturally  resulted  in 
anarchy.  Although  all  the  vakeels  and  companies  belonged  to 
one  firm,  they  acted  as  rival  companies.  Thus,  if  slaves  ran  away 
from  one  station  and  took  shelter  with  the  natives  of  a  village 
belonging  to  the  people  of  another  vakeel,  an  attack  would  be 
made  upon  the  village  that  harbored  the  runaways,  and  their 
women  and  children  would  be  immediately  captured. 

This  onslaught  on  the  village  under  the  protection  of  a  certain 
station  would  be  quickly  returned  by  a  counter  attack  upon  a 
village  belonging  to  the  encroaching  vakeel.  This  system  was 
purposely  adopted,  as  it  served  to  divide  the  country  into  oppos- 
ing sections,  which  prevented  the  natives  from  forming  a  general 
coalition. 

It  may  readily  be  imagined  that  my  arrival  was  hailed 
with,  general  satisfaction  by  the  natives  throughout  the  country. 
Should  a  stranger  have  filled  my  position,  there  might  have  been 
some  suspicion  in  the  minds  of  the  natives ;  but  I  had  been  so 
well  known  during  my  former  journey  that  the  people  accepted 
the  new  government  with  thorough  confidence. 

Wat-el-M'ek,  who  was  alwajrs  the  discoverer  of  unknown  lands, 
had  lately  visited  a  new  country  in  the  east. 

It  may  be  remembered  by  the  readers  of  "  The  Albert  N'yan- 
za"  that,  shortly  before  my  return  from  Shooa  (only  six  miles 
from  Fatiko),  a  new  country  named  Lira  had  been  discovered  by 
the  vakeel  of  Koorshad  Agha,  "Ibrahim."  Poor  Ibrahim  was 
dead,  otherwise  I  should  have  had  a  good  and  dependable  man. 

The  Lira  country  was  rich  in  ivory,  and  the  greatest  prize  dis- 
covered was  the  presence  of  donkeys,  which  are  quite  unknown 
in  the  White  Nile  districts. 

Wat-el-Mek  had  now  penetrated  beyond  Lira,  and  had  reached 
the  country  of  Langgo,  which  was  exceedingly  interesting. 

From  the  description  of  the  people,  it  appeared  that  the  por- 
tion of  the  Langgo  visited  by  them  was  entirely  different  from 
the  country  between  Gondokoro  and  Unyoro. 

The  expedition  had  crossed  the  Sobat  river,  and  had  arrived  in 


294 


ISMAIL  Ll. 


the  Langgo,  about  one  Hundred  and  thirty  miles  due  east  of  Fati- 
ko.  They  described  the  country  as  similar  to  portions  of  the 
Soudan — generally,  flat  plains  of  the  rich  grass  known  as  neg- 
heel,  which  never  grows  high,  and  is  the  finest  pasturage.  The 
trees  were  for  the  most  part  soont  (Acacia  Arabica),  which  is  not 
met  with  in  the  White  Nile  countries  south  of  the  Sobat  junction. 

The  Langgos  were  an  immense  tribe,  but  were,  like  the  Baris, 
divided  under  many  chiefs.  These  people  were  exceedingly 
large  and  powerful,  and  were  esteemed  as  great  warriors.  They 
seldom  ate  flour,  but  lived  upon  the  milk  and  flesh  of  their  in- 
numerable herds. 

The  cattle  were  as  large  as  those  of  England,  and  were  cele 
brated  for  the  extreme  size  of  their  horns. 

Wat-el-Mek  had  made  a  razzia  with  a  very  powerful  force,  col- 
lected from  all  the  stations  of  Abou  Saood,  and  he  had  succeeded 
in  capturing  an  enormous  number  of  these  fine  animals,  together 
with  a  large  herd  of  donkeys. 

These  strange  cattle  would  not  live  at  Fatiko,  as  the  herbage 
was  quite  different  to  that  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed. 
They  died  in  such  numbers  that  in  three  months  only  three  or 
four  remained  out  of  as  many  thousand.  Thus  all  these  beauti- 
ful beasts  were  wasted. 

The  river  Sobat  was  described  as  flowing  from  the  south,  and 
was  known  as  the  Choi.  The  Asua  river  is  only  one  days' 
march,  or  about  twenty  miles  east  of  Fatiko.  The  Sobat  is  nev- 
er dry,  and  is  reported  to  be  a  noble  river;  this  suggests  that 
Speke's  Victoria  N'yanza,  or  the  Bahr  Ingo's  eastern  corner, 
must  have  an  effluent  in  addition  to  the  Victoria  Nile,  that  flows 
from  M'tese's  capital  of  Uganda. 

Beyond  Langgo  there  is  a  country  called  Lobbohr,  which  is 
said  to  possess  camels.  In  the  Lobbohr  there  is  a  river  called 
Jooba.  This  is,  I  believe,  the  Juba  that  flows  into  the  Indian 
Ocean,  as  the  report  continues  that  "Arabs  arrive  at  Lobbohr 
mounted  upon  camels,  and  armed  with  swords  and  pistols,  but 
without  guns."  Horses  and  donkeys  are  also  reported  to  exist 
in  Lobbohr. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  most  important  countries  lie  to 
the  east  of  Fatiko  ;  and  should  the  story  of  camels  prove  correct, 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  opening  up  a  commercial  route. 

It  appears  that  at  Langgo  the  value  of  beads  is  very  great,  as 
the  natives  work  them  into  patterns  upon  their  matted  hair. 
Ivory  has  little  or  no  value,  and  exists  in  large  quantities. 

The  natives  refuse  to  carry  loads,  and  they  transport  an  ele- 


ABOU  SAOOD  SWEARS  FIDELITY. 


295 


phant's  tusk  by  boring  a  hole  in  the  hollow  end,  through  which 
they  attach  a  rope;  the  tusk  is  then  dragged  along  the  ground 
by  a  donkey.    The  ivory  is  thus  seriously  damaged  

Such  was  the  position  of  affairs  at  Fatiko  in  March,  1872. 
New  and  important  countries  had  been  investigated,  not  by  ex- 
plorers or  traders,  but  by  the  brigands  of  Abou  Saood,  whose 
first  introduction  was  the  unprovoked  attack  and  carrying  off  of 
slaves  and  cattle. 

Such  conduct  could  only  terminate  in  an  extension  of  the  ruin 
which  a  similar  course  had  determined  in  every  country  that  had 
been  occupied  by  the  traders  of  the  White  Nile. 

I  trusted  that  my  arrival  would  create  a  great  reform,  and  re- 
store confidence  throughout  the  country.  The  news  had  spread 
far  and  wide.  The  scarlet  soldiers  were  regarded  as  a  distinct 
species,  and  the  report  quickly  circulated  that  the  "Pasha's 
troops  were  entirely  different  from  any  that  had  hitherto  been 
seen,  as  their  clothes  were  red,  and  their  muskets  were  loaded 
from  the  wrong  end." 

I  now  determined  to  establish  a  station  at  Fatiko  to  represent 
the  government  during  my  absence  in  the  south. 

Abou  Saood  had  sworn  fidelity.  Of  course  I  did  not  believe 
him ;  but  as  the  natives  had  welcomed  the  government,  I  could 
not  leave  them  without  protection. 

It  was  therefore  arranged  with  Abou  Saood  that,  after  the  ex- 
piration of  the  contract,  all  operations  should  cease.  He  would 
simply  remain  on  sufferance  in  the  country  until  he  should  be 
able  to  transport  his  ivory  to  Gondokoro.  This  could  only  be 
effected  by  the  arrival  of  carriers  from  his  stations,  about  one 
hundred  and  eighty  miles  west  of  the  Nile,  in  the  Makkarika 
country.  His  first  step  would  therefore  be  to  communicate  with 
the  vakeel  Atroosh,  who  commanded  about  six  hundred  men  in 
the  west  station. 

I  ordered  Abou  Saood  to  disarm  the  seventy  Baris  who  were 
in  his  service  at  Fatiko,  as  I  would  not  allow  muskets  to  be 
placed  in  the  hands  of  natives  who  were  hostile  to  the  govern- 
ment. 

This  he  promised  to  do;  but  of  course  he  evaded  the  order 
by  returning  the  arms  to  the  Baris  the  instant  I  had  departed. 

It  may  appear  to  the  public  that,  having  "  absolute  and  su- 
preme power,"  I  was  absurdly  lenient  toward  Abou  Saood,  whom 
I  knew  to  be  so  great  a  villain.  I  confess  to  one  fault.  I  should 
have  arrested  and  transported  him  to  Khartoum  when  he  first  ar- 
rived at  Gondokoro  with  the  cattle  stolen  from  the  Shir,  which 


296 


ISMAILlA. 


caused  the  subsequent  massacre  of  the  five  soldiers  of  the  gov- 
ernment. At  the  same  time  that  I  admit  this  error,  it  must  be 
remembered  that  I  was  placed  in  an  awkward  position. 

"Absolute  and  supreme  power"  is  a  high-sounding  title,  but 
how  was  I  to  exert  it? 

I  was  an  individual  possessing  a  nominal  power,  the  applica- 
tion of  which  required  extreme  delicacy.  I  was  determined  to 
win,  and,  with  God's  help,  I  did  win,  but  every  step  necessitated 
the  coolest  judgment.  Had  I  adopted  severe  or  extreme  meas- 
ures against  Abou  Saood,  I  might  have  ruined  the  expedition  at 
the  commencement. 

It  was  impossible  to  know  who  was  faithful.  There  was  a 
general  leaning  toward  his  favor  among  all  the  officers,  with 
whom  he  had  been  in  close  connection  when  in  Khartoum.  He 
was  a  man  in  a  high  social  position  in  the  Soudan,  the  partner 
of  the  great  firm  of  Agad  &  Co.,  who  commanded  two  thousand 
rive  hundred  armed  men.  He  had  worked  for  many  years  in 
company  with  the  government,  according  to  his  connection  by 
agreement  with  the  governor-general. 

I  knew  that  I  had  him  in  my  power,  provided  I  should  be 
supported  by  the  authorities  in  Egypt ;  therefore  I  gave  him  line, 
and  occasionally  held  him  tight,  .as  though  he  had  been  a  salmon 
on  a  single  gut;  but  I  was  determined  to  land  him  safe  at  last,  in 
such  a  manner  that  his  greatest  supporter  should  be  obliged  to 
acknowledge  that  he  had  received  the  fairest  play.  Abou  Saood's 
Fatiko  station  was  crowded  with  slaves.  His  people  were  all 
paid  in  slaves.  The  stations  of  Fabbo,  Faloro,  and  Farragenia 
were  a  mass  of  slaves. 

I  did  not  enter  a  station  to  interfere  with  these  slaves,  as  I 
knew  that  such  an  act  would  create  irretrievable  confusion. 

I  had  only  two  hundred  and  twelve  men,  and  I  wished  to  ad- 
vance to  the  equator.  Fatiko  was  in  N.  lat.  3°  01',  and  one 
hundred  and  sixty-five  miles  from  head-quarters.  Had  I  attempt- 
ed to  release  some  thousand  slaves  from  the  different  stations,  I 
should  have  required  a  large  military  force  to  have  occupied 
those  stations,  and  to  have  driven  out  the  whole  of  the  slave-hunt- 
ers bodily. 

If  the  slaves  had  been  released,  it  would  have  been  impossible 
to  have  returned  them  to  their  homes,  as  they  had  been  collected 
from  every  quarter  of  the  compass,  and  from  great  distances.  If 
I  had  kept  them,  I  could  not  have  procured  food  for  so  large  a 
number,  as  the  stations  contained  several  thousands. 

Under  the  circumstances,  I  took  the  wiser  course  of  non-inter- 


UNTOWARD  INCIDENT. 


2<J7 


ference  with  the  stock  in  hand,  but  I  issued  the  most  severe  or- 
ders respecting  the  future  conduct  of  Abou  Saood's  companies. 

I  arranged  to  leave  a  detachment  of  one  hundred  men,  under 
the  command  of  Major  Abdullah,  to  form  a  station  adjoining  that 
of  Abou  Saood  in  Fatiko,  together  with  the  heavier  baggage  and 
the  greater  portion  of  the  ammunition. 

The  government  would  be  thus  represented  by  a  most  respect- 
able and  civilized  officer,  who  would  give  confidence  and  pro- 
tection to  the  country ;  as  I  concluded  that  the  prestige  of  the 
Khedive  would  be  sufficient  to  establish  order  among  his  sub- 
jects, by  the  representation  of  one  of  his  officers  and  a  detach- 
ment of  one  hundred  troops. 

I  gave  orders  to  Gimoro  and  Shooli  to  prepare  carriers  for  the 
journey  to  Unyoro. 

An  untoward  occurrence  had  taken  place  shortly  after  our  ar- 
rival at  Fatiko. 

As  has  already  been  described,  the  Lobore  natives  had  not 
only  cheated  us  out  of  many  cows  that  had  been  received,  for 
which  the  carriers  had  not  been  forthcoming,  but  numbers  had 
deserted  on  the  road,  which  had  caused  the  troops  great  trouble 
and  fatigue,  as  they  had  been  obliged  to  divide  among  them  the 
abandoned  loads.  Upon  our  arrival  at  Fatiko,  the  son  of  Sheik 
Abbio,  of  Lobore,  would  have  absconded  with  all  his  people,  had 
he  not  been  retained  by  the  troops.  This  man  was  responsible 
for  the  natives  who  had  engaged  themselves  for  the  journejr. 

It  would  have  been  the  height  of  imprudence  to  have  permitted 
the  immediate  departure  of  our  carriers  before  I  had  arranged 
for  the  future;  thus  about  eighty  were  secured  by  the  soldiers,  in- 
cluding the  sheik's  son,  from  a  general  stampede  that  took  place. 

I  ordered  them  to  be  disarmed,  as  I  considered  that  if  unarm- 
ed they  dared  not  venture  alone  through  the  Madi  country. 

In  the  evening  they  were  secured  by  a  light  line  tied  round 
each  man's  neck,  and  connected  in  gangs  of  five.  A  guard  was 
placed  over  them  in  addition  to  the  usual  sentries. 

At  about  4  A.M.  a  signal  was  given.  Every  man  had  gnawed 
through  his  cord  with  his  teeth  during  the  darkness ;  and  at  the 
concerted  cry,  in  a  language  that  no  one  understood,  the  entire 
party,  of  upward  of  eighty  men,  knocked  down  the  astonished 
guards,  also  the  sentries,  and  rushed  headlong  over  the  rocks  in 
the  direction  of  Lobore. 

It  was  a  natural  impulse  and  a  soldier's  duty  to  fire  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  assailants,  as  the  overturned  sentries  quickly  re- 
covered and  joined  the  guard  in  a  volley. 


298 


ISMAIL  Jt J. 


I  was  up  in  an  instant,  and  upon  arrival  at  the  spot  I  was  in- 
formed of  the  occurrence.  It  was  pitch  dark ;  therefore  a  lan- 
tern was  brought,  and  after  a  search  three  bodies  were  discover- 
ed of  the  rash  and  unfortunate  Lobore.  I  was  exceedingly  sorry 
that  such  an  event  had  happened ;  at  the  same  time  I  could  hard- 
ly blame  the  sentries.  I  was  much  afraid  that,  if  three  were  shot 
dead,  others  must  have  escaped  wounded,  and  altogether  the  aff 
fair  would  have  a  bad  effect  at  Lobore. 

The  sheik  of  Fatiko  was  named  Wat-el-Ajoos.  This  name  had 
been  given  him  by  the  slave-hunters,  meaning  "Son  of  the  old 
man."  His  village  was  not  quite  half  a  mile  from  our  camp,  and 
he  frequently  came  to  see  me  with  his  interpreter,  accompanied 
by  his  wives. 

Upon  his  first  visit  I  gave  him  a  long  blue  shirt,  together  with 
some  yards  of  Turkey-red  cambric,  to  form  a  waist-sash ;  also  a 
red  fez  and  two  razors,  with  a  quantity  of  beads  for  his  wives. 

Fatiko  is  merely  a  district  of  the  great  country  of  Shooli, 
which  is  governed  by  the  sheik,  Eot  Jarma.  This  person  had 
sent  word  that  he  intended  to  visit  me,  to  tender  his  allegiance 
to  the  government. 

On  March  16th  a  wild  sound  of  many  horns  was  the  first  in- 
troduction ;  and  shortly  after,  a  number  of  his  people  advanced, 
chanting  a  peculiar  low  song,  and  dancing  a  solemn  slow  step. 
The  great  sheik  came  behind  them.  He  was  quickly  ushered 
into  my  presence  beneath  a  shady  acacia  close  to  my  tent  door. 
He  was  perfectly  red  from  head  to  toes,  having  been  freshly 
smeared  with  red  ochre  and  grease  for  the  interview.  A  well- 
dressed  skin  of  an  antelope  was  slung  across  his  shoulder,  and, 
descending  across  his  loins,  it  constituted  his  scanty  clothing. 

His  conversation  was  merely  a  repetition  of  the  old  story,  be- 
ing a  series  of  complaints  against  the  slave -hunters.  He  de- 
clared that  he  had  never  visited  Abou  Saood  or  any  of  his  peo- 
ple, but  that  when  he  had  heard  of  my  arrival,  he  had  deter- 
mined at  once  to  offer  his  allegiance,  and  he  and  all  adjacent 
countries  would  serve  the  government  faithfully  in  return  for 
protection  and  justice. 

I  assured  him  he  had  nothing  to  fear  from  the  slave-hunters 
in  future,  as  I  should  leave  Major  Abdullah  and  a  detachment 
of  troops  to  represent  the  government  during  my  absence.  He 
was  to  supply  them  with  corn,  and  to  yield  the  same  obedience 
to  Major  Abdullah  as  he  would  to  me.  I  gave  him  nine  yards 
of  red  cotton  cloth,  six  pounds  of  beads,  two  razors,  one  comb, 
two  horn  snakes  in  boxes,  one  knife,  one  burning-glass,  one  zinc 


PREPARING  TO  ADVANCE  SOUTH. 


299 


mirror,  two  nickel  spoons,  three  rods  of  thick  brass  wire,  two 
linger-rings,  two  pairs  of  ear-rings,  and  two  red  and  yellow  cotton 
handkerchiefs.  The  total  value  of  this  extensive  present  was 
about  twenty -one  shillings. 

Before  he  had  arrived,  he  had  requested  that  a  goat  might  be 
sent  to  be  slaughtered  at  a  stream  before  he  should  cross  over; 
otherwise  bad  luck  would  attend  his  visit.  Of  course  this  was 
acceded  to,  and  the  goat  was  sacrificed  and  eaten  by  his  people. 

I  gave  him,  according  to  my  usual  custom  with  all  sheiks  and 
head  men,  seeds  of  the  best  Egyptian  cotton,  tomatoes,  pumpkins, 
cucumbers,  water-melons,  sweet-melons,  barmian,  maize,  etc.,  etc. 

Before  parting,  I  amused  and  shocked  him  with  the  magnetic 
battery,  and  he  went  away  surprised  and  delighted. 

I  subsequently  discovered  that  a  large  quantity  of  flour,  to- 
gether with  some  fowls  which  he  had  forwarded  to  me,  had  been 
stopped  and  appropriated  by  the  renowned  AH  Hussein.  The 
intriguing  spirit  of  these  slave-hunters  was  extraordinary.  It  is 
their  custom  never  to  receive  a  sheik  unless  he  brings  a  present. 
He  therefore  considered  that  if  Rot  Jarma  should  appear  for  the 
first  time  before  me  empty-handed,  I  should  either  not  admit 
him,  or  perhaps  be  prejudiced  against  him  ;  thus  he  had  stolen 
the  customary  gift  of  introduction  in  order  to  create  ill-will  on 
my  part  toward  Eot  Jarma,  who  had  never  yet  condescended  to 
visit  the  station  of  Abou  Saood  

Wat-el- Ajoos,  with  the  assistance  of  Shooli  and  Gimoro,  had 
collected  two  hundred  carriers,  all  of  whom  had  received  each  a 
cow. 

I  had  assorted  the  luggage;  and  although  I  had  not  the  slight- 
est suspicion  of  any  fighting,  nevertheless  my  ammunition  form- 
ed a  considerable  portion  of  the  heavier  baggage. 

Major  Abdullah  had  received  his  instructions,  and  a  site  had 
been  chosen  for  his  station  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  south 
extremity  of  that  of  Abou  Saood.  This  position  was  backed  by 
a  high  rock,  upon  which  I  had  already  commenced  to  build  a 
powder-magazine  of  solid  masonry. 

Abou  Saood  having,  as  usual,  sworn  upon  the  eyes  and  head 
of  the  Prophet  to  do  all  that  was  right  and  virtuous,  and  the  na- 
tives throughout  the  country  being  confident  of  protection,  I  pre- 
pared for  the  journey  to  Unyoro — a  distance  across  the  Uninhab- 
ited prairies  of  seventy-eight  miles  from  Fatiko,  due  south. 

Our  excellent  and  trusty  friend  Shooli  was  to  be  our  guide. 
Gimoro  was  prevented  from  accompanying  us,  owing  to  a 
wounded  foot. 


300 


ISMAILIA. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  31 A  HUH  TO  UN Y OHO. 

On  March  18th,  1872,  we  were  all  in  order  for  the  march  to 
the  south,  under  the  direction  of  our  guide,  Shooli. 

Having  taken  leave  of  Major  Abdullah,  I  left  him  a  good  sup- 
ply of  sheep  and  cattle  for  his  detachment,  and  at  2  P.M.  we  start- 
ed for  the  prairie  march  to  Unyoro. 

The  descent  from  the  table-land  of  Fatiko  was  rapid  for  the 
first  seven  miles,  at  which  point  we  reached  a  stream  of  clear 
running  water,  which  is  one  of  the  channels  of  the  Un-y-Ame 
river. 

The  limit  of  the  inhabited  country  is  about  three  miles  from 
the  camp  at  Fatiko,  after  which  all  is  wilderness  to  Unyoro. 

This  fertile  country  has  been  left  uninhabited,  on  account  of 
the  disturbance  occasioned  by  the  diversity  of  tribes.  On  the 
east  it  is  bounded  by  Umiro,  on  the  south  by  Unyoro,  and  on 
the  west  by  Madi.  This  large  tract  of  land,  about  eighty  miles 
from  north  to  south,  is  accordingly  the  resort  of  wild  animals, 
and  it  forms  the  favorite  hunting-ground  of  the  various  tribes, 
who  generally  come  into  conflict  with  each  other  during  their 
excursions  in  pursuit  of  game. 

We  halted  for  the  night  at  the  clear  stream  of  the  Un-y-Ame, 
as  the  native  carriers  expected  their  wives  to  bring  them  pro- 
visions for  the  journey.  It  was  only  five  o'clock ;  therefore  I 
strolled  along  the  banks  of  the  stream  accompanied  by  Shooli, 
and  shortly  came  upon  game. 

At  this  season  the  country  was  very  lovely,  as  the  young  grass 
was  hardly  a  foot  high.  Stalking  was  extremely  difficult ;  the 
land  was  clear  of  trees,  and  the  long  sweeping  undulations  ex- 
posed every  object  to  view  when  upon  the  face.  I  managed  at 
length  to  get  a  tolerable  shot  at  one  of  the  beautiful  teel  (Leu- 
cotis),  by  creeping  up  the  broken  bed  of  a  water -course  until  I 
arrived  at  a  white-ant  hill.  On  my  way  home  I  shot  a  gazelle ; 
thus  the  natives  all  had  flesh  from  the  two  animals  on  the  first 
night  of  the  march. 

The  wives  appeared  to  be  excellent  women,  as  they  arrived  in 
great  numbers  with  a  quantity  of  hard  porridge  made  of  dhurra 


A  HUNT  ON  THE  MARCH. 


301 


flour,  which  was  to  form  the  commissariat  for  a  journey  of  nearly 
one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  to  Unyoro  and  back. 

If  a  native  travels  through  wilderness,  he  will  always  make 
forced  marches;  thus  the  Fatikos  would  only  sleep  one  night 
upon  the  road  of  seventy-eight  miles  when  on  the  return  journey. 

On  the  following  morning  we  were  rather  late  in  starting,  as 
more  women  arrived  with  food,  and  certain  farewells  took  place. 
The  Fatiko  natives  appeared  to  be  very  superior  to  the  Lobore, 
as  not  one  man  absconded.  In  fact,  one  native  who  had  a  swollen 
leg,  which  prevented  him  from  walking,  actually  sent  back  his 
cow  with  an  explanation  of  the  cause  of  absence. 

On  March  19th  we  started  at  6.50  a.m.,  all  our  carriers  being 
well  provided  with  food.  The  country  was,  as  usual,  a  well-wa- 
tered, undulating  prairie,  abounding  in  game.  At  this  season  the 
march  was  very  delightful ;  but  when  the  grass  is  about  nine  feet 
high  it  is  simply  detestable  traveling. 

On  the  march  we,  as  usual,  led  the  way.  Lieutenant  Baker 
dismounted  for  a  shot  at  a  splendid  buck  (Leucotis),  which  he 
wounded  somewhere  behind,  and  the  animal  made  off  in  evident 
discomfort.  This  was  a  signal  for  the  natives,  who  immediately 
put  down  their  loads  and  started  off  in  pursuit  like  a  pack  of 
hounds. 

Although  the  animal  was  badly  hit,  the  pace  was  very  great ; 
and  it  went  along  the  face  of  the  opposite  undulation,  followed 
by  the  extraordinary  runners,  who,  with  their  long  springing 
strides,  kept  up  a  speed  for  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  that  at 
length  brought  the  leading  native  sufficiently  near  for  throwing 
the  lance.  The  next  moment  a  crowd  of  hungry  fellows  fell 
upon  the  welcome  game  like  starving  wolves. 

After  a  march  of  twelve  miles  we  arrived  at  a  rocky  stream 
of  clear  water,  which  is  another  channel  of  the  Un-y-Ame  river 
that  carries  off  the  entire  drainage  of  this  country.  We  halted 
to  refresh  the  people,  and  to  have  our  breakfast  on  the  clean 
rock  that  bordered  the  stream,  and  started  for  the  afternoon 
march  at  2  P.M. 

During  the  march  I  endeavored  to  stalk  a  large  bull-tetel  {An- 
telope bubalis),  but  there  was  very  little  chance  in  so  open  a  coun- 
try. The  animal  galloped  off  exactly  in  a  straight  line  from  me 
at  about  two  hundred  and  sixty  yards.  I  put  up  the  last  leaf  of 
the  sight,  and  I  distinctly  heard  the  bullet  strike.  The  next  mo- 
ment I  saw  the  animal  was  wounded.  It  was  just  disappearing 
over  the  next  undulation ;  and  upon  arriving  at  the  spot,  I  saw 
the  wounded  bull  standing  about  two  hundred  yards  before  me. 


ISMAILlA. 


I  approached  from  behind  until  within  one  hundred  paces 
without  being  observed  by  the  tetel,  who  was  evidently  very 
bad.  Moving  slightly  to  my  right,  I  was  quickly  seen,  and  the 
animal  turned  its  flank  preparatory  to  making  off.  A  shot  from 
the  ''Dutchman"  exactly  through  the  shoulder  killed  it  on  the 
spot. 

I  now  found  that  my  first  bullet  had  struck  the  spine  exactly 
above  the  root  of  the  tail.  This  large  animal  was  a  good  supply 
for  the  people,  who  quickly  divided  it,  and  continued  the  march 
until,  having  crossed  another  stream,  we  left  the  open  prairie  and 
entered  a  low  forest.  Halted  for  the  night.  The  march  during 
this  day  had  been  nineteen  miles. 

On  March  20th  we  marched,  from  6  a.m.  till  9.45,  through  un- 
dulating forest,  and  halted  upon  high  ground,  which  commanded 
a  fine  view  of  the  mountain  that  borders  the  west  shore  of  the 
Albert  N'yanza,  opposite  Magungo,  about  fifty-five  miles  S.S.W. 
From  our  elevated  point  we  looked  down  over  a  fine  extent  of 
country,  and  the  Fatiko  natives  pointed  out  the  course  of  the 
White  Nile  from  the  great  lake,  along  which  was  a  line  of  smoke, 
caused,  according  to  their  accounts,  by  the  fishermen  who  were 
at  this  season  burning  the  high  reeds  on  the  rivers  bank. 

The  natives  wrere  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  country,  as 
they  had  on  several  occasions  accompanied  the  slave-hunters  in 
razzias  along  the  river  to  Foquatch  and  Magungo.  Just  as  we 
halted,  a  party  of  Umiro  hunters  came  across  our  path,  but  im- 
mediately took  to  flight,  as  they  supposed  we  were  enemies. 
The  day's  march  had  been  thirteen  miles ;  and  we  were  request- 
ed by  our  guide,  Shooli,  to  halt  for  the  night,  as  there  was  no 
water  for  a  considerable  distance  to  the  south. 

I  immediately  employed  the  soldiers  in  the  construction  of  a 
cattle -kraal,  lest  the  prowling  Umiro  should  endeavor  to  scare 
the  animals  during  the  night. 

On  March  21st  we  started  at  6  a.m.,  and  marched  thirteen 
miles  through  forest.  We  at  length  reached  water,  but  it  was 
so  thick  with  mud  that  the  horses  refused  to  drink  it. 

On  March  22d  we  were  compelled  to  march  twenty- three 
miles,  as  the  water  was  quite  undrinkable,  the  few  muddy  pools 
having  been  stirred  into  paste  by  the  buffaloes  and  elephants. 

We  now  reached  the  grand  Victoria  Nile,  flowing  beneath 
cliffs  of  seventy  or  eighty  feet  in  depth,  through  magnificent  for- 
est. It  was  refreshing  for  all  parties  to  obtain  pure  water  after 
the  miserable  fluid  we  had  been  lately  compelled  to  drink. 

In  the  evening  a  sheik  and  several  people,  who  had  known 


DEPLORABLE  CHANGE. 


me  formerly,  crossed  the  river  from  the  Unyoro  side,  and  desired 
an  interview.  They  reported  that  the  Khartoum  traders  had  al- 
most destroyed  the  country,  and  they  begged  me  simply  to  judge 
with  my  own  eyes. 

I  must  now  extract  from  my  journal  the  entry  of  the  date,  as, 
although  briefly  written,  it  will  convey  the  impression  of  the 
moment : 

"March  23,  1872. — We  marched  three  miles  east,  along  the 
banks  of  the  beautiful  Victoria  Nile,  through  fine  open  forest, 
until  we  halted  on  a  high  cliff  exactly  opposite  the  last  station 
of  Abou  Saood,  commanded  by  a  vakeel  named  Suleiman. 

"It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  change  that  has  taken  place 
since  I  last  visited  this  country.  It  was  then  a  perfect  garden, 
thickly  populated,  and  producing  all  that  man  could  desire. 
The  villages  were  numerous ;  groves  of  plantains  fringed  the 
steep  cliffs  on  the  rivers  bank;  and  the  natives  were  neatly 
dressed  in  the  bark-cloth  of  the  country. 

"The  scene  has  changed!  All  is  wilderness!  The  population 
has  fled !    Not  a  village  is  to  be  seen  ! 

"This  is  the  certain  result  of  the  settlement  of  Khartoum 
traders.  They  kidnap  the  women  and  children  for  slaves,  and 
plunder  and  destroy  wherever  they  set  their  feet. 

"Suleiman  and  Eddrees,  two  vakeels,  who  were  well  known  to 
me  as  forming  a  portion  of  Ibrahim's  party  on  my  former  jour- 
ney, now  came  across  the  river  to  visit  me. 

"  The  cunning  Abou  Saood  has  never  told  them  of  the  expi- 
ration of  the  government  contract  with  Agad  k  Co.,  neither  had 
they  any  warning  of  my  expected  arrival. 

"I  explained  the  exact  state  of  affairs. 

"The  principal  sheik  of  the  district,  with  many  people,  came 
to  see  me.  The  chief,  Quonga,  was  one  of  my  old  acquaintances, 
and  was  formerly  the  favorite  adviser  of  Kamrasi. 

"Kamrasi  died  about  two  years  ago.  His  sons  fought  for  the 
succession,  and  each  aspirant  sought  the  aid  of  the  traders.  This 
civil  strife  exactly  suited  the  interests  of  the  treacherous  Khar- 
toumers.  The  several  companies  of  slave-hunters  scattered  over 
the  Madi,  Shooli,  and  Unyoro  countries  represented  only  one  in- 
terest, that  of  their  employers,  Agad  k  Co. 

"Each  company,  commanded  by  its  independent  vakeel,  ar- 
rived in  Unyoro,  and  supported  the  cause  of  each  antagonistic 
pretender  to  the  throne,  and  treacherously  worked  for  the  ruin 
of  all,  excepting  him  who  would  be  able  to  supply  the  largest 
amount  of  ivory  and  slaves. 


304 


ISMAILXA. 


"  The  favorite  sons  of  Kamrasi  were  Kabba  Rega  and  Kabka 
Miro,  while  the  old  enemy  of  the  family,  Rionga,  the  cousin  of 
Kamrasi,  again  appeared  upon  the  scene. 

"  The  companies  of  Abou  Saood  supported  all  three,  receiving 
ivory  and  slaves  from  each  as  the  hire  of  mercenary  troops ;  and 
at  length  they  played  out  their  game  by  shooting  Kabka  Miro, 
and  securing  the  throne  to  Kabba  Rega. 

"They  arranged  with  Rionga  that  he  should  be  ostensibly 
banished  to  a  convenient  distance,  to  be  ready  as  a  trump  card, 
should  occasion  require,  against  the  new  king,  Kabba  Rega. 

"  I  explained  the  new  reform  to  Quonga,  and  I  gave  him  the 
following  presents  for  Kabba  Rega,  who  resides  about  six  days' 
march  south-west  of  this  spot : 

"One  piece  entire  of  Turkey -red  cloth,  one  piece  gray  calico, 
twelve  pounds  of  beads  of  the  finest  varieties,  three  zinc  mirrors, 
two  razors,  one  long  butcher's  knife,  two  pairs  scissors,  one  brass 
bugle,  one  German  horn,  two  pieces  of  red  and  yellow  handker- 
chiefs, one  piece  of  yellow  ditto,  one  peacock  Indian  scarf,  one  blue 
blanket,  six  German  silver  spoons,  sixteen  pairs  of  various  ear- 
rings, twelve  finger-rings,  two  dozen  mule-harness  bells,  six  elastic 
heavy  brass  spring  wires,  one  pound  long  white  horse-hair,  three 
combs,  one  papier-mache  tray,  one  box- wood  fife,  one  kaleidoscope. 

"I  proclaimed  upon  all  sides  that  the  reign  of  terror  was  end- 
ed. As  I  formerly,  when  alone,  had  defended  Kamrasi,  and 
driven  out  the  invaders  under  Wat-el-Mek,  by  hoisting  the  En- 
glish ensign,  so  now  I  would  take  the  country  under  my  pro- 
tection with  a  powerful  force. 

"I  gave  Quonga  and  all  his  sheiks  presents  of  beads,  and 
shocked  them  powerfully  with  the  magnetic  battery,  leaving  a 
strong  impression. 

"March  24. —  I  wrote  officially  to  Suleiman,  the  vakeel  of 
Agad  &  Co.,  to  give  him  warning  'that  sixteen  days  hence  the 
contract  would  expire,  and  that  he  and  all  his  people  must  be 
ready  to  evacuate  the  country  and  return  to  Khartoum  on  that 
day;  that  any  person  who  should  remain  after  this  notice  would 
be  imprisoned  ;  that,  should  he  or  any  of  his  people  wish  to  enlist 
in  the  service  of  the  government  as  irregular  troops,  their  names 
must  be  handed  in  before  the  expiration  of  two  days.' 

"  Suleiman  declared  his  willingness  to  enlist,  together  with  Ed- 
drees  and  several  others. 

"He  told  me  that  nothing  could  be  procured  in  the  country. 
Thank  God,  I  left  a  good  reputation  here  seven  years  ago;  thus 
I  shall  be  able  to  purchase  food. 


PECULIAR  ELEPHANT -SPEARS. 


305 


"This  morning  my  old  acquaintance,  Keedja,  formerly  chief  of 
Atada,  came  to  see  me,  with  many  of  his  people ;  and  with  per- 
fect confidence  they  commenced  a  market,  bringing  provisions  in 
exchange  for  beads.  They  promised  to  arrive  to-morrow,  and  to 
establish  a  daily  market  at  our  camp. 

"Keedja  explains  that  he  and  his  people  have  been  obliged  to 
fly  from  the  depredations  of  the  companies  of  Abou  Saood ;  thus 
they  have  settled  in  the  forest  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and 
have  cultivated  farms.  They  have  very  few  clothes,  as  their 
bark-cloth  trees  are  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  in  their  old 
plantations. 

"All  the  people  declare  they  will  now  return  to  their  old  habi- 
tations, and  recultivate  the  land,  as  in  former  days. 

"  I  found  that  the  natives  who  ran  from  us  on  the  march  and 
dropped  their  elephant-spears  were  Keedja's  people;  thus  I  re- 
turned to  them  the  three  spears  and  an  axe,  to  their  great  aston- 
ishment.* 

The  elephant -spears  were  of  a  kind  used  from  trees.  The 
blade  is  about  twenty  inches  long,  the  handle  about  twenty-four 
inches.  The  end  of  the  handle  is  heavily  weighted  with  a  lump 
of  several  pounds,  composed  of  clay,  cow -dung,  and  chopped 
straw,  and  the  weapon,  beautifully  sharpened,  is  dropped  upon 
the  elephant's  back  by  a  hunter  from  the  branches  of  a  tree. 
The  constant  movement  of  the  heavy  handle,  as  it  strikes  the 
boughs  when  the  elephant  rushes  through  the  forest,  cuts  the  an- 
imal so  terribly  that  it  bleeds  to  death.  The  hunters  follow  on 
the  blood-track  until  they  find  the  dying  animal. 

"March  25. — Suleiman,  the  vakeel,  summoned  his  men  to  vol- 
unteer for  the  government  service  as  irregular  troops. 

"  I  issued  a  written  proclamation  that,  should  volunteers  en- 
list, the  term  of  service  would  be  annual,  subject  to  three  months' 
notice,  should  any  officer  or  private  wish  to  retire  at  the  expira- 
tion of  twelve  months. 

"  The  rank  of  the  vakeel  would  be  equivalent  to  that  of  major 
in  the  regular  army. 

"  The  pay  would  be  equal  to  that  of  regular  troops. 

"If  I  can  form  a  regiment  of  six  hundred  irregulars  I  shall 
be  independent  of  troops  from  Khartoum. 

"March  26. — Quonga  and  many  other  sheiks  arrived,  and  were 
quite  delighted  with  the  wheel  of  life. 


*  A  party  of  native  hunters  had  been  scared  during  our  march  by  our  sudden  ap- 
pearance. 


ISMAIIJ'A. 


"  The  natives  are  selling  sweet-potatoes  and  tobacco  for  beads, 
but  flour  is  brought  in  very  small  quantities. 

"March  27. — Provisions  are  coming  in  so  slowly  that  we  shall 
be  short  of  food.  Upon  the  arrival  of  Quonga  and  his  sheiks,  I 
made  a  hot  complaint;  he  coolly  told  me  that  it  would  be  better 
if  the  soldiers  were  to  forage  for  themselves. 

"I  explained  to  him  the  rigid  discipline  that  I  enforced,  and 
that,  should  I  once  permit  thieving,  the  troops'  character  would 
be  entirely  ruined,  and  they  would  pillage  throughout  the  route. 

"  He  replied  that  this  neighborhood  was  in  a  state  of  anarchy  ; 
that  many  of  the  inhabitants  were  hostile  to  Kabba  Rega,  and 
they  would  not  obey  his  orders. 

"  I  told  him  that  my  troops  were  lambs  if  well  fed,  but  they 
were  like  lions  if  hungry;  and,  to  prove  their  number,  I  would 
summon  them  before  him. 

"The  bugle  sounded  the  'taboor,'  and  upward  of  one  hundred 
men  immediately  fell  in,  with  bayonets  fixed,  to  the  no  small  dis- 
may of  Quonga  and  his  sheiks,  who  began  to  look  very  uneasy 
at  the  scarlet  uniforms.  By  a  coup  de  theatre,  I  marched  the  men, 
with  bugles  and  drums  playing,  round  the  numerous  huts,  so  that 
they  re -appeared  twice  before  the  tent,  and  thus  doubled  their 
real  number. 

"At  the  halt  and  dismissal,  they  shouted  their  usual  wild  cry 
in  Turkish,  in  honor  of  their  commander. 

"'Do  you  understand  what  they  say?'  I  asked  Quonga.  To 
his  negative  reply,  I  answered,  'They  say  they  will  eat  from  the 
country  if  provisions  are  not  supplied  to-morrow !' 

"Quonga  and  his  sheiks  started  off  immediately  to  give  the 
necessary  orders. 

"Upon  his  return,  I  told  him  'to  advise  Kabba  Rega  to  be- 
have in  a  different  manner  to  the  conduct  of  his  father,  the  late 
Kamrasi.  I  had  returned  to  this  country  to  bestow  prosperity 
upon  the  land;  that  if  Kabba  Rega  meant  fair  dealing  and  legit- 
imate trade,  he  must  act  honorably  and  sincerely.  If  I  should 
find  any  signs  of  unfairness,  I  should  pass  on  direct  to  Uganda, 
the  country  of  M'tese,  and  he  would  receive  the  goods  I  had  in- 
tended for  Unyoro.' 

"Negroes  are  great  deceivers,  especially  the  natives  of  Unyoro. 
I  have  beads,  cattle,  merchandise,  and  ivory,  articles  necessary  to 
purchase  flour  and  potatoes;  nevertheless,  our  wants  are  not  sup- 
plied. The  cattle  are  dying,  as  the  change  of  herbage  does  not 
agree  with  them  ;  this  is  a  sad  loss. 

"March  28. — The  great  sheik,  Lokarn,  who  is  the  commander 


ENLIST  IRllEG  ULARS. 


307 


in  chief  of  Kabba  Rega's  forces,  arrived.  This  man  has  left  a 
large  army  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  a  few  hours'  march  up 
stream,  ready  to  attack  Rionga,  who  is  settled,  with  his  people, 
on  an  island  in  the  river.  Of  course  he  is  come  to  request  mili- 
tary aid.  This  is  the  old  story.  Upon  my  last  visit,  I  was  bored 
almost  to  death  by  Kamrasi,  with  requests  that  I  would  assist 
him  to  attack  Rionga.  I  have  only  been  here  for  a  few  days 
when  I  am  troubled  with  the  old  tune. 

"March  29. — Provisions  are  very  scarce ;  the  people  have  been 
fighting  for  so  many  years  that  cultivation  has  been  much  neg- 
lected, and  the  natives  live  principally  upon  plantains. 

"I  gave  Suleiman,  the  vakeel,  five  cows  yesterday.  He  de- 
clares that  Abou  Saood  told  him  that  my  term  of  service  with 
the  Egyptian  government  had  expired,  therefore  the  entire  coun- 
try was  now  in  his  hands.  This  liar,  Abou  Saood,  will  some  day 
reap  the  fruits  of  his  treachery. 

"I  ordered  the  government  flag  to  be  hoisted  in  Suleiman's 
camp,  and  the  vakeel,  Suleiman,  called  upon  all  those  who  were 
willing  to  enlist  in  the  service  of  the  Khedive  to  assemble  be- 
neath the  ensign.    Sixty-one  men  registered  their  names. 

"  The  only  difficulty  is  the  rate  of  wages.  I  offer  the  privates 
sixty  piasters  per  month,  £&,  thirty^  piasters  (or  two-pence-half- 
penny per  day)  as  equal  pay  to  that  of  the  regulars,  and  thirty 
piasters  in  lieu  of  clothes.  Formerly  these  brigands  nominally 
received  fifty  and  fifty-five  piasters,  in  addition  to  one-third  of 
all  cattle  that  might  be  captured  in  razzias. 

"Should  I  be  able  to  establish  a  small  irregular  corps  as  a 
commencement,  the  expense  would  be  considerable  in  proportion 
to  the  actual  proceeds  in  ivory.    The  position  is  difficult. 

"A  radical  change  throughout  the  country  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary. The  companies  have  hitherto  purchased  ivory  with  slaves 
and  cattle;  thus  all  countries  in  which  this  custom  has  been  es- 
tablished must  be  abandoned  until  the  natives  will  sell  ivory  in 
exchange  for  goods.  ' 

"The  expenses  will  continue,  or  perhaps  augment,  while  the 
ivory  produce  must  decrease  for  the  first  twelve  months,  or  until 
the  people  will  understand  and  accept  the  reform. 

"  Without  an  irregular  force  it  will  be  impossible  to  hold  the 
country,  and  at  the  same  time  carry  on  the  work  of  government. 
The  force  that  I  originally  proposed,  of  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  is  absolutely  required  to  occupy  a  chain  of  stations 
from  Gondokoro. 

"March  30. — The  cows  are  dying  in  great  numbers,  and  the 


308 


TSMAILlA. 


natives  are  bringing  large  quantities  of  potatoes  in  exchange  for 
the  flesh  ;  but  there  is  no  corn  in  the  country. 

"  The  days  and  nights  are  now  cloudy  and  showery. 

"Lokara  and  Quonga  came  this  morning,  but  no  messenger 
has  yet  arrived  from  Kabba  Rega. 

"I  gave  Lokara  a  blue  shirt,  a  long  red  sash,  and  a  crimson 
fez,  to  his  great  delight.  The  chiefs  were  much  struck  with  the 
present  intended  for  Kabba  Rega ;  this  consisted  of  three  rows 
of  Roman  pearls  as  large  as  marbles,  with  a  gilt  shield,  and  onyx- 
pendant  tied  up  with  green  satin  ribbon. 

"March  31. — I  sent  all  the  cattle  across  the  river  in  charge  of 
Quonga ;  two  were  carried  off  by  crocodiles  while  in  the  act  of 
swimming. 

"  The  great  sheiks  paid  me  a  visit,  together  with  many  of  in- 
ferior rank.  Lokara,  Quonga,  Matonse,  and  Pittia  were  among 
the  principal  chiefs  of  the  country.  As  they  were  sitting  be- 
fore me,  Lokara  lighted  a  huge  pipe,  and  immediately  commenced 
smoking.  This  is  a  great  breach  of  etiquette,  as  smoking  is  strict- 
ly forbidden  in  the  presence  of  Kabba  Rega. 

"  My  old  Cairo  dragoman,  Mohammed,  who  was  now  thor- 
oughly installed  as  one  of  the  expedition,  was  well  up  in  the  cus- 
toms of  the  country,  and  he  quietly  resented  the  insult  of  the 
pipe. 

"  He  gently  approached  with  a  bottle  of  water,  which  he  pour- 
ed politely  into  the  bowl,  as  though  he  was  conferring  a  fa- 
vor; at  the  same  time  he  explained  that  in  my  presence  every 
one  smoked  water  instead  of  tobacco.  The  hint  was  immediate- 
ly taken,  and  the  huge  pipe,  thus  summarily  extinguished,  was 
handed  to  a  slave  in  attendance. 

"  We  now  entered  upon  geographical  discussions.  All  the 
chiefs  declared  that  the  M'wootan  N'zige  extends  beyond  Ka- 
ragwe,  and  that  it  exceeds  the  Victoria  N'yanza  in  size.  The  na- 
tive name  in  Unyoro  for  the  Victoria  N'yanza  is  simply  N'yan- 
za, and  for  the  White  Nile,  Masaba. 

"  There  is  a  country  called  Barega  on  the  Albert  N'yanza, 
south-west  of  Uganda,  governed  by  a  powerful  king  whose  peo- 
ple are  armed  with  bows,  and  arrows  that  are  feathered.  I  have 
never  yet  seen  feathered  arrows  among  the  White  Nile  tribes. 

"  The  great  mountain  Bartooma  is  again  mentioned,  as  on  my 
former  journey.  I  imagine  it  must  be  identical  with  the  M'fum- 
biro  mentioned  by  Speke. 

"  I  shall  send  an  expedition  from  Magungo  to  Ibrahimeyah  by 
river,  to  prove  the  capabilities  of  the  route.    I  shall  form  a  sta- 


BOTTLE-GOURD  OF  UNYORO. 

From  the  Original. 


I 


THE  BOHOOMA. 


tion  at  Magungo  to  trade  with  Malegga,  on  the  opposite  shore. 
I  shall  then  thoroughly  explore  the  Albert  N'yanza  in  boats,  and 
afterward  proceed  to  King  M'tese,  of  Uganda  

"It  rained  last  evening  and  during  the  night.  Seven  cows 
died.    I  have  erected  a  comfortable  stable  for  the  horses. 

"April  1. — The  people  belonging  to  Suleiman  hesitate  to  ac- 
cept the  government  pay,  although  a  day  or  two  ago  they  en- 
listed. I  fear  that  these  people  can  never  be  trusted.  I  shall 
give  them  a  little  time  to  consider,  after  which,  if  they  refuse  to 
serve,  I  shall  turn  them  out  of  the  country.  Every  camp,  or  za- 
reeba,  is  of  course  full  of  slaves. 

"There  is  a  curious  custom  throughout  Unyoro:  a  peculiar 
caste  are  cattle-keepers.  These  people  only  attend  to  the  herds, 
and  the  profession  is  inherited  from  past  generations.  They  are 
called  Bohooma,  and  they  are  the  direct  descendants  of  the  Gal- 
las,  who  originally  conquered  the  country,  and,  like  the  reigning 
family,  they  are  of  an  extremely  light  color.  If  the  herds  arc 
carried  off  in  battle,  the  Bohooma,  who  never  carry  arms,  accom- 
pany them  to  their  new  masters,  and  continue  their  employment. 
Nothing  but  death  will  separate  them  from  their  cattle. 

"April  2. — The  natives  built  a  zareeba  yesterday  for  the  cattle, 
but  they  are  dying  as  rapidly  as  upon  the  north  side  of  the  river. 

"I  tried  to  do  a  little  geography  with  the  sheik,  Pittia.  He 
was  the  man  who,  some  years  ago,  first  gave  me  the  information 
respecting  the  distance  of  the  Albert  N'yanza  from  M'rooli.  He 
would  say  nothing  without  orders  from  the  king,  beyond  telling 
me  that  you  might  travel  for  months  upon  the  lake. 

"It  is  very  annoying  in  this  country  that  no  information  can 
be  obtained,  neither  can  any  work  be  commenced,  without  the 
direct  order  of  the  king.  My  patience  is  sorely  tried.  No  reply 
has  as  yet  been  delivered  to  my  message  sent  to  Kabba  Rega,  al- 
though ten  days  have  elapsed. 

"My  desire  is  to  benefit  the  country  by  opening  the  road  for 
legitimate  commerce;  but  the  difficulties  are  great,  as  the  king 
will  endeavor  to  monopolize  the  market,  and  thus  prevent  free 
trade. 

"April  3. — I  sent  for  all  the  great  sheiks,  to  complain  of  Kab- 
ba Rega's  conduct.  This  young  fellow  was  evidently  aping  the 
manners  of  his  father,  Kamrasi,  and  attempting  to  show  his  own 
importance  by  keeping  me  waiting.  The  sheiks  explained  that, 
before  my  arrival,  Suleiman  had  agreed  to  furnish  soldiers  to  as- 
sist the  forces  of  Kabba  Rega  in  a  united  attack  upon  Rionga; 
and  the  army  was  now  only  a  short  distance  from  this  spot,  ex- 


310 


ISMAILfA. 


pecting  the  promised  aid.  My  arrival  had  upset  all  their  plans, 
as  I  had  forbidden  all  action  until  I  should  have  had  a  personal 
interview  with  Kabba  Eega. 

"  The  military  operations  were  in  abeyance  until  a  reply  should 
be  received  from  the  king.  The  return  messengers  were  expect- 
ed this  evening. 

"  The  sheiks  declare  that  the  ruling  class  in  this  country  are 
all  exceedingly  light  in  complexion,  'because  they  do  no  work, 
but  sit  in  the  shade  and  drink  abundance  of  milk.' 

"The  natives  of  Unyoro  are  very  inferior  in  physique  to  the 
Fatiko.  This  is  the  result  of  vegetable  food,  without  either  ce- 
reals or  flesh.  None  of  the  general  public  possess  cattle;  thus 
the  food  of  the  people  from  infancy,  after  their  mothers'  milk  has 
ceased,  is  restricted  to  plantains  and  the  watery  sweet-potatoes. 
The  want  of  milk  is  very  detrimental  to  the  children.  The  men 
generally  exhibit  a  want  of  muscle,  and  many  are  troubled  with 
cutaneous  diseases. 

"April  4. — The  messengers  are  reported  to  have  arrived  from 
Kabba  Eega.  Last  evening,  at  8  p.m.,  we  had  a  very  heavy 
storm  of  rain,  with  thunder.  Fifteen  cows  died  to-day,  and  I 
fear  we  shall  lose  the  greater  portion  of  the  herd.  All  cattle  that 
may  be  brought  from  the  countries  of  Bari,  Madi,  and  Langgo 
are  said  to  die  on  arrival  in  Unyoro. 

u  April  5. — The  great  sheiks,  Eahonka  and  Kittakara,  arrived, 
together  with  Lokara  and  Quonga,  and  the  smaller  fry,  Pittia  and 
Mallegge.  The  latter  was  my  guide  to  the  Albert  N'yanza  many 
years  ago. 

"  The  '  Fort}'  Thieves '  and  the  band  received  them  on  arrival. 
The  band  was  of  course  encored,  all  being  delighted  with  the 
big  drum  and  the  cymbals.  The  latter  were  examined  as  great 
curiosities. 

"Eahonka  is  Kamrasi's  maternal  uncle,  and  is  great -uncle  to 
Kabba  Eega,  and  he  can  give  more  information  than  any  man 
concerning  the  neighboring  countries. 

"  In  reply  to  my  inquiries  about  Livingstone,  he  says  that  two 
persons  are  living  in  a  large  house  in  Karagwe,  which  they  have 
constructed  in  a  different  form  to  those  of  the  natives.  These 
people  have  no  military  escort,  but  they  possess  a  large  quantity 
of  goods.  This  does  not  sound  like  Livingstone,  unless  he  may 
have  joined  some  Arab  merchant. 

"  There  are  natives  of  Karagwe  now  visiting  Kabba  Eega  at 
Masindi;  thus  I  shall  have  a  good  opportunity  of  making  in- 
quiries.   There  are  likewise  envoys  from  M'tese  in  this  country; 


ISSUE  CERTIFICATES. 


311 


therefore  I  shall  be  able  to  send  him  a  valuable  present,  and  beg 
him  to  search  for  Livingstone  in  all  directions. 

"April  6. — Kabba  Rega's  messengers  presented  themselves  with 
an  offering  of  two  cows,  a  parcel  of  salt,  and  some  plantains. 

"  One  of  these  cows  is  a  splendid  animal  from  Umiro.  She  is 
the  size  of  a  fair  Durham  —  bright-red  color  —  with  immensely 
long  and  massive  horns. 

••  Had  I  not  had  former  experience  in  this  country,  and  pro- 
vided myself  with  a  herd  of  cattle,  we  should  have  been  half- 
starved,  as  there  is  nothing  to  be  procured  but  beans,  sweet-pota- 
toes, and  plantains. 

"April  7. — We  all  crossed  the  river  in  canoes.  A  heavy 
shower  fell  this  morning.  My  improvident  men  have  torn  all 
their  water-proof  cloaks  and  blankets  just  as  we  have  arrived  in 
a  country  where  they  will  be  most  required. 

"April  8. — It  now  rains  daily,  more  or  less.  The  order  was 
given  by  Kabba  Rega  that  we  were  to  be  supplied  with  carriers 
for  the  journey  to  Masindi,  which  is  to  be  under  the  charge  of 
Rahonka.  Suleiman  and  Eddrees  have  arranged  with  their  men, 
all  of  whom  now  present  in  the  camp  have  agreed  to  accept  the 
government  rate  of  pay,  and  to  enlist  for  twelve  months.  I  ac- 
cordingly issued  serkis,  or  certificates,  for  each  man,  with  his 
name,  date  of  engagement,  and  rate  of  wages. 

"This  is  very  satisfactory,  as  I  shall  now  have  a  station  in  my 
rear  on  the  river,  with  the  command  of  boats,  while  I  march  up 
the  country  to  Masindi.  The  irregulars  in  this  station,  which  is 
in  the  district  of  Foweera,  number  sixty-five  men.  If  they  re- 
main faithful,  they  will  form  a  nucleus  for  the  irregulars  who 
will  most  probably  follow  their  example.  I  understand  that  a 
small  party  of  seventeen  men  are  now  staying  with  Kabba  Rega. 
These  people  will  join  their  comrades  under  Suleiman,  and  raise 
the  strength  of  the  Foweera  station  to  eighty-two  men.  I  shall 
thus  be  able  to  keep  up  a  communication  with  my  detachment 
at  Fatiko. 

"April  9. — At  the  expiration  of  Agad's  contract,  there  were 
one  hundred  and  eighty-eight  elephants'  tusks  in  the  zareeba  of 
Suleiman.    These  will  remain  in  his  care. 

"The  natives  collected  were  insufficient  to  convey  all  the  loads. 
I  therefore  sent  off  a  division,  escorted  by  Morgian  Agha  with 
ten  men,  to  await  my  arrival  at  the  village  of  Deang.  The  sheik, 
Rahonka,  killed  a  man  who  attempted  to  evade  the  order  to  carry 
baggage. 

"April  10. — Rain  fell  throughout  the  night,  which  makes  ev- 

2-i  "  ' 


312 


ISMAILlA. 


ery  body  miserable.  During  the  middle  watch,  having  been 
awakened  by  the  heavy  shower,  I  heard  the  sentry  outside  my 
tent  muttering  a  kind  of  low  chant :  ' This  is  the  country  for 
rain  and  potatoes  ;  this  is  the  place  for  potatoes  and  rain.  Pota- 
toes and  rain,  potatoes  and  rain  ;  rain  and  potatoes,  rain  and  po- 
tatoes.' 

"Neither  the  rain  nor  the  potatoes  were  esteemed  by  the 
troops.  The  roots  were  almost  as  watery  as  the  rain,  and  their 
sweetness  was  excessive.  A  very  uncomfortable  result  from  this 
vapid  food  was  extreme  flatulence.  The  waist-belts  of  the  boys 
were  obliged  to  be  let  out  by  several  holes  at  the  buckles.  As 
my  men  justly  declared,  'They  were  uncomfortably  full  after  a 
meal ;  but  half  an  hour's  march  made  them  feel  as  though  they 
had  fasted  for  a  day.' 

''During  the  afternoon  I  was  sitting  beneath  a  shady  tree,  with 
my  wife  and  Lieutenant  Baker,  when  a  naked  native  rushed 
wildly  past  the  sentries,  and,  before  he  could  be  restrained,  he 
threw  himself  on  the  ground  and  embraced  my  feet,  at  the  same 
time  begging  for  mercy  by  the  Arabic  ejaculation,  'Aman! 
aman !' 

"  He  was  immediately  seized.  On  examination  through  an  in- 
terpreter, it  appeared  that  he  was  a  native  of  Koitch,  near  Fa- 
tiko,  and  that  he  had  attached  himself  to  Suleiman's  party  at 
some  former  time,  but  now  he  had  just  escaped  from  the  Fo- 
weera  station,  as  Suleiman  wished  to  kill  him. 

"In  a  few  minutes  Suleiman  himself  appeared:  he  was  pale 
with  rage. 

"  Suleiman  was  a  thorough  brigand  in  appearance.  His  father 
was  a  Kurd :  thus  his  complexion  would  have  been  white  had 
he  not  been  for  many  years  exposed  to  the  African  climate.  He 
was  a  powerful,  dare-devil-looking  fellow ;  but  even  among  his 
own  people  he  was  reputed  cruel  and  vindictive. 

"  He  was  so  overpowered  with  passion  that  he  approached  and 
kissed  my  hand,  at  the  same  time  imploring  me,  'as  a  favor,  to 
allow  him  to  cut  off  the  native's  head  with  his  sabre.' 

"  Upon  a  trial  of  the  case,  I  found  that  the  native  was  a  thief, 
and  that  upon  a  former  occasion  he  had  stolen  a  gun  and  two 
pistols  from  the  camp,  which  after  some  trouble  had  been  recov- 
ered. He  was  now  accused  of  aiding  and  abetting  at  the  escape 
of  five  female  slaves  from  the  zareeba  during  the  past  night; 
therefore  he  was  to  be  beheaded  without  delay. 

"As  this  was  not  my  form  of  punishment,  especially  for  the 
crime  of  releasing  slaves  that  had  been  captured  by  force,  I  order- 


EXODUS  OF  WHITE  ANTS. 


313 


ed  the  native  to  be  secured  in  the  zareeba  until  further  orders, 
but  upon  no  account  should  he  be  injured. 

"Although  I  had  heard  from  my  old  Cairo  dragoman,  Mo- 
hammed, that  the  prisoner  was  a  bad  character,  I  did  not  wish  to 
punish  him  severely,  as  the  effect  would  be  bad  among  the  na- 
tives of  the  country.  He  had  run  to  me  for  protection  ;  there- 
fore, should  he  suffer,  a  precedent  would  be  established  that 
would  deter  others  from  appealing  to  me  for  mercy. 

"  The  man  was  led  away  under  a  guard,  and  was  .secured  in 
the  zareeba.  Suleiman  acknowledged  that  he  was  in  an  excusa- 
ble rage,  but  that  I  had  been  just  in  my  decision,  and  he  would 
keep  the  prisoner  in  safe  custody  until  further  orders.  Suleiman 
was  to  accompany  me  on  the  journey  to  Masindi  on  the  follow- 
ing morning,  as  Kahonka  had  collected  the  native  carriers. 

"  That  evening,  after  a  heavy  shower,  we  witnessed  one  of 
those  remarkable  appearances  of  the  winged  white  ants  that  is- 
sued from  a  mound  within  a  few  yards  of  our  tent.  Millions  of 
these  large  fat  insects  struggled  into  their  ephemeral  flight,  and 
were  quickly  caught  by  our  people  with  lighted  wisps  of  straw. 
The  ant  disengages  its  wings  a  few  minutes  after  its  appearance 
from  the  parent  mound. 

"The  exodus  from  the  ant-hill  takes  place  annually  at  the 
commencement  of  the  rainy  season,  and  the  collection  of  the  in- 
sects is  considered  to  be  an  important  harvest  throughout  all 
Central  Africa.  The  white  ant  in  this  stage  of  its  existence  is 
esteemed  as  a  great  delicacy  when  fried  in  a  little  butter. 

"  We  tasted  a  considerable  number,  and  found  them  tolerably 
good,  but  with  a  slight  flavor  of  burned  feathers. 

"On  April  11th  we  were  ready  to  start;  but  at  the  last  mo- 
ment the  vakeel,  Suleiman,  who  was  to  accompany  us,  excused 
himself  until  the  next  day,  as  he  had  some  important  business  to 
transact  with  his  people.  I  accordingly  gave  him  permission  to 
remain  ;  but  I  ordered  him  to  follow  me  quickly,  as  it  would  be 
necessary  to  present  him  to  Kabba  Eega  in  his  new  position  as 
vakeel  of  the  government."  .... 

It  will  now  be  necessary  to  explain  the  true  position  of  affairs, 
which  at  that  time  I  did  not  suspect. 

Upon  my  first  arrival  at  the  river,  when  I  had  explained  my 
views  to  Suleiman,  he  had  immediately  dispatched  a  letter  to 
Abou  Saood  at  Fatiko.  His  party  had  traveled  fast,  and  they 
returned  with  a  reply. 

I  could  never  discover  the  actual  contents  of  the  letter,  but  I 
heard  that  it  cautioned  Suleiman  not  to  part  with  the  slaves,  and 


314 


ISMAILlA. 


to  join  Abou  Saood  with  his  ivory  and  all  his  people  at  the  sta- 
tion of  Fabbo,  a  day's  march  west  of  Fatiko. 

Suleiman  was  in  an  awkward  position.  He  had  always  he-Id  a 
high  place  in  the  eyes  of  Kabba  Rega  and  his  chiefs,  and  his  al- 
liance had  been  courted  and  obtained  for  a  combined  attack  upon 
the  old  enemy,  Rionga.  The  army  of  Kabba  Rega  had  been 
waiting  at  the  rendezvous  in  expectation  of  Suleiman's  assist- 
ance. A  fleet  of  large  canoes  had  been  concentrated  at  a  given 
point  for  the  invasion  of  the  island,  and  Kabba  Rega  and  his 
sheiks  considered  that  at  length  their  old  enemy  was  in  a  snare. 

My  unexpected  arrival  had  ruined  the  project,  as  I  strictly  for- 
bade Suleiman  to  attack  Rionga. 

This  disappointed  Kabba  Rega  and  his  people,  who  could  not 
understand  how  I  could  be  the  friend  of  his  late  father,  Kamrasi, 
and  at  the  same  time  protect  his  enemy,  Rionga. 

The  attack  on  the  island  was  a  dangerous  adventure,  as  it  was 
surrounded  by  dense  masses  of  papyrus  rush  that  would  prevent 
canoes  from  landing,  except  at  certain  places  where  narrow  pas- 
sages had  been  cleared.  A  few  men  concealed  among  the  papy- 
rus could  massacre  an  attacking  party  at  discretion,  as  they  strug- 
gled through  the  narrow  entrance  in  canoes.  It  had  been  pro- 
posed that  Suleiman's  people  were  to  attack  in  boats,  and  clear 
out  the  enemy  by  a  sharp  fire  into  the  papyrus  to  cover  the  gen- 
eral advance. 

Suleiman  was  in  a  dilemma,  as  he  had  already  promised  alli- 
ance, and  had  received  a  quantity  of  ivory  in  payment  for  his 
services.  He  had  accordingly  made  the  following  secret  ar- 
rangement with  Rahonka  and  Lokara:  "Let  the  Pasha  and  his 
soldiers  start  for  Masindi,  and  he  will  suppose  that  Suleiman  will 
follow  on  the  morrow ;  instead  of  which,  he  will  at  once  join 
Kabba  Rega's  forces,  and  attack  Rionga  when  the  Pasha  shall  be 
several  days'  journey  distant  from  the  river." 

On  his  return  to  Foweera  from  a  successful  invasion  of  Ri- 
onga's  island,  the  commanders  of  the  forces,  Lokara  and  Rahon- 
ka, were  at  once  to  furnish  carriers  to  transport  Suleiman,  with 
all  his  people  and  ivory,  to  the  Fabbo  station,  according  to  the 
instructions  received  from  Abou  Saood. 

I  should  thus  be  deceived,  and  be  left  at  Masindi,  one  hundred 
and  sixty  miles  distant  from  my  detachment  at  Fatiko,  without 
the  power  of  communication. 

About  a  month  previous  Abou  Saood  had  himself  visited 
Kabba  Rega  at  Masindi,  and  had  laid  a  snare  that  will  be  ex- 
plained hereafter. 


BEAUTIFUL  ORCHIDS. 


315 


At  8.30  A.M.  we  were  in  the  saddle,  and  started  from  Foweera. 
Suleiman  came  to  kiss  my  hand  at  my  departure.  We  rode  at 
once  into  the  low  forest,  and  as  the  last  man  of  our  large  party 
disappeared  from  view  Suleiman  returned  to  his  zareeba.  He 
then  prepared  for  vengeance,  which  through  my  presence  had 
been  long  delayed. 

He  and  his  ferocious  people  dragged  the  prisoner,  whose  life  I 
had  protected,  from  the  camp,  until  they  arrived  at  a  thick  grove 
of  plantains  about  two  hundred  paces  from  the  station.  Eahon- 
ka,  Lokara,  Quonga,  Matonse,  and  other  principal  chiefs  were  sum- 
moned to  witness  the  impotence  of  the  Pasha's  power  to  save,  and 
to  see  with  their  own  eyes  the  defiance  that  Suleiman  would  ex- 
hibit to  the  orders  of  a  Christian. 

"  Now  let  the  natives  clasp  the  knees  of  the  Pasha  and  ex- 
pect security  from  Suleiman !" 

The  ruffian  drew  his  sabre,  and  with  his  own  hand,  in  the 
presence  of  a  crowd  of  witnesses,  he  hacked  off  the  head  of  the 
unfortunate  prisoner,  and  thus  publicly  ridiculed  my  authority. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  this  murder  was  being  committed,  we 
were  traveling  onward  without  a  suspicion  of  treachery. 

Accompanied  by  Lady  Baker,  I  rode  at  the  head  of  the  party 
with  my  usual  advanced  guard  of  five  picked  men  of  "  The  For- 
ty." Lieutenant  Baker  walked  on  foot,  as  he  wished  to  save  his 
horse's  back  that  was  slightly  galled. 

We  rode  far  in  advance,  as  there  was  no  danger  to  be  ap- 
prehended in  this  country,  and  my  five  guards  with  knapsacks, 
small  axes,  and  general  accoutrements,  kept  the  pace  of  four  miles 
an  hour  for  about  twenty-one  miles  to  Kisoona.  The  march  had 
been  through  forest  and  grass  about  four  feet  in  height,  which 
was  now  growing  vigorously  after  the  recent  showers.  The  large 
trees  were  covered  with  orchids,  among  which  I  noticed  a  pe- 
culiar species  which  hung  from  the  boughs  like  an  apron.  This 
was  exceedingly  pretty,  as  the  leaf  was  about  eighteen  inches  in 
breadth,  the  edges  were  scalloped,  and  of  a  copper-brown  color, 
while  the  upper  portion  was  dark  green. 

The  whole  country  had  been  desolated  by  civil  war,  in  which 
the  companies  of  Abou  Saood  had  taken  a  prominent  part,  and 
had  carried  off  a  great  number  of  the  women. 

Kisoona  was  a  poor,  straggling  place  in  the  centre  of  the  forest ; 
but  although  the  bee-hive-shaped  huts  were  far  apart,  there  was 
the  usual  amount  of  filth  and  ashes  that  disgrace  the  villages  of 
Unyoro.  A  very  large  plantation  of  bananas  afforded  food  for 
the  inhabitants,  all  of  whom  seemed  to  have  disappeared. 


316 


ISMAILlA. 


Throughout  Unyoro  the  soil  is  exceedingly  rich ;  thus  the  to- 
bacco-gardens exhibited  an  extreme  luxuriance,  and  the  size  of 
the  leaves  formed  a  great  contrast  to  the  plants  in  the  hot  soil  of 
the  Bari  country. 

I  placed  a  sentry  over  the  tobacco,  and  cautioned  the  troops 
against  stealing,  or  in  any  way  damaging  the  crops. 

A  native  of  Umiro  traveled  as  our  interpreter.  This  man  was 
a  confidential  slave  belonging  to  Kabba  Rega,  and  formed  one  of 
his  regiment.  Umbogo  (or  the  "  buffalo ?')  was  a  highly  intelli- 
gent fellow,  and  spoke  good  Arabic,  as  he  had  been  constantly 
associated  with  the  Arab  slave-traders.  I  had  supplied  him  with 
clothes,  and  he  looked  quite  respectable  in  a  blue  shirt  belted 
round  the  waist,  with  a  cartouche-pouch  of  leopard's  skin  that 
had  been  given  him  by  the  people  of  the  zareeba.  Umbogo  car- 
ried a  musket,  and  was  altogether  a  very  important  personage,  al- 
though a  slave. 

The  long  march  of  twenty-one  miles  through  forest,  along  a 
rough  and  narrow  path,  had  delayed  the  carriers  and  the  cattle. 
Although  my  men  had  stepped  along  so  briskly,  the  rear-guard 
did  not  arrive  until  the  evening.  A  tremendous  down-pour  of 
rain  deluged  the  ground.  This  was  a  godsend  to  us,  who  were 
well  housed  and  tented,  as  we  caught  a  good  supply  of  water 
with  the  mackintosh  camp-sheets  that  was  very  superior  to  that 
of  a  small  pool,  which  usually  sufficed  for  the  village  people. 

I  always  traveled  with  a  large  sponging-bath,  which  was  one 
of  the  household  gods  of  the  expedition.  This  was  now  full  of 
pure  rain-water.  The  value  of  this  old  friend  was  incalculable. 
In  former  years  I  had  crossed  the  Atbara  river  in  this  same  bath, 
lashed  upon  an  angareb  (stretcher),  supported  by  inflated  skins. 
Without  extra  assistance  it  would  support  my  weight,  and  it  was 
always  used  when  crossing  a  small  stream,  assisted  by  two  men 
wading,  one  of  whom  held  it  on  either  side  to  prevent  it  from 
overturning.  Thus  we  could  travel  without  the  necessity  of 
plunging  into  deep  mud  and  water. 

Such  a  utensil  was  invaluable  for  watering  the  horses ;  also 
for  washing  clothes,  or  for  receiving  a  supply  of  rain-water  dur- 
ing a  shower  from  the  camp-sheets  suspended  above  the  bath. 

The  neighborhood  of  Kisoona  was  very  populous,  but  the 
villages  were  all  concealed  in  the  forest,  amidst  vast  groves  of 
bananas. 

There  was  a  large  tract  of  potato  cultivation  ;  a  supply  of  these 
welcome  roots  was  with  difficulty  obtained  from  the  natives. 
It  appeared  to  be  a  repetition  of  my  former  experience  in  this 


DEPARTURE  OF  COLONEL  ABB -EL-  KADER. 


317 


country,  which  unpleasantly  reminded  me  of  the  scarcity  of  food 
during  my  first  exploration  of  Unyoro. 

On  the  following  morning,  April  12th,  when  the  horses  were 
saddled,  and  we  were  ready  to  start,  not  a  single  native  was 
forthcoming.  Every  man  of  about  two  hundred  carriers  had  ab- 
sconded ! 

"Although  Eahonka  had  assured  me,  previous  to  starting  from 
the  river,  that  food  would  be  ready  for  the  troops  at  every  halt- 
ing-place, nothing  has  been  prepared.  We  are  thus  left  as  much 
neglected  as  during  my  former  voyage  in  this  detestable  country. 
There  is  not  one  sheik  with  us,  although  three  principal  chiefs 
were  told  off  to  accompany  us  to  Masindi.  I  therefore  told  our 
friend  Pittia  that  I  should  not  proceed  farther,  as  I  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  so  miserable  a  king  as  Kabba  Eega. 

"  I  immediately  sent  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  back  to  Foweera 
with  thirty  men,  and  a  letter  to  Suleiman,  ordering  him  to  col- 
lect three  hundred  men  at  once  to  return  my  effects  to  his  za- 
reeba.  I  tied  Pittia,  the  guide,  by  a  small  cord  attached  to  the 
neck,  as  I  feared  he  also  might  escape.  What  can  be  done  with 
these  treacherous  people? 

"There  is  a  report,  now  confirmed  by  the  dragoman,  Umbogo, 
that  a  plan  had  been  arranged  between  Suleiman  and  Eahonka 
that  I  should  be  led  out  of  their  way,  and  they  would  then  join 
their  forces  and  attack  Eionga. 

"  I  do  not  believe  that  Suleiman  would  place  his  head  in  such 
a  halter. 

"  Yery  heavy  rain  at  1  p.m. 

" April  13. — The  soil  is  wonderfully  fertile ;  this  is  a  choco- 
late-colored vegetable  loam.  Among  the  crops  is  a  species"  of 
esculent  solarium,  with  large  orange -colored  berries;  both  the 
fruit  and  leaves  are  eaten  by  the  natives. 

"  I  repaired  my  boots  to-day  wTith  the  milk  from  the  india-rub- 
ber-tree. Julian  (Lieutenant  Baker)  had  fever.  Colonel  Abd- 
el-Kader  and  party  returned  at  2.40  p.m.,  having  marched  rapid- 
ly, and  accomplished  their  mission,  and  a  journey  of  forty-two 
miles,  in  twenty-seven  hours  and  forty  minutes. 

"This  excellent  officer  brought  with  him,  secured  by  a  small 
leather  thong  by  the  neck,  the  great  sheiks  Kittakara,  Matonse, 
and  several  smaller  fry. 

"  The  royal  sheik,  Eahonka,  escaped  by  breaking  through  the 
side  of  his  hut. 

"The  report  was  as  follows: 

"Colonel  Ab-el-Kader  and  his  party  of  thirty  men  had  arrived 


318 


ISMAILlA. 


at  Suleiman's  zareeba  at  about  8  p.m.  He  found  the  vakeels, 
Suleiman  and  Eddrees,  surrounded  by  many  of  their  men,  appar- 
ently in  consultation. 

"  Upon  Abd-el-Kader's  appearance  the  men  moved  off  one  by 
one,  and  quietly  packed  up  their  effects,  preparatory  to  a  general 
flight. 

"Abd-el-Kader  informed  Suleiman  of  the  flight  of  our  carriers. 
He  at  once  proceeded  to  the  native  zareeba,  about  two  hundred 
yards  from  the  camp.  He  there  found  the  principal  sheiks  in 
the  hut  of  Kahonka. 

"Abd-el-Kader  immediately  informed  them  of  the  purport  of 
his  arrival,  and  requested  the  sheiks  to  accompany  him  to  the 
zareeba  of  Suleiman.  Kahonka  begged  to  be  left  alone  for  a 
short  time,  to  enable  him  to  dress. 

"Abd-el-Kader  waited  outside  the  door  of  the  hut,  and,  becom- 
ing tired  of  so  long  a  delay,  he  re-entered,  and,  to  his  astonish- 
ment, he  found  the  dwelling  empty.  Kahonka  had  escaped  by  a 
hole  in  the  straw  wall. 

"Suspicion  being  raised  by  the  incomprehensible  flight  of 
Kahonka,  the  colonel  placed  the  remaining  sheiks  under  a  guard, 
and  led  them  to  Suleiman's  zareeba.  He  then  applied  to  Sulei- 
man for  a  guard  of  eight  men  to  watch  the  sheiks  during  the 
night,  as  his  own  party  required  rest. 

"  Suleiman  now  informed  him  that  he  could  not  supply  the 
men,  as  all  his  people  had  absconded  from  fear  (of  Abd-el-Kader). 

"  On  the  following  morning  the  colonel  perceived,  from  the 
smoke  above  our  old  camp  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river 
(which  in  this  part  is  five  hundred  yards  broad),  that  Suleiman's 
people  had  escaped  during  the  night,  and  had  crossed  the  river 
with  all  their  slaves  and  effects. 

"  This  was  the  first  act  of  my  new  irregular  levy ;  they  had 
positively  run  away  from  the  colonel,  like  a  parcel  of  hostile  na- 
tives ! 

"  Suleiman  and  Eddrees  declared  that  they  could  not  control 
their  men,  who  were  afraid  that  I  had  ordered  my  officer  to  re- 
lease the  slaves  that  were  in  their  possession.* 

"Abd-el-Kader  ordered  Suleiman  to  accompany  him  to  my 
halting-place  at  Kisoona.  Suleiman  declined,  upon  the  excuse 
that  he  had  some  business,  but  that  he  would  present  himself  to- 
morrow. 

*  There  is  no  doubt  that  in  truth  they  considered  that  I  had  heard  of  the  murder 
of  the  prisoner  committed  to  the  care  of  Suleiman,  and  that  I  had  sent  the  colonel 
and  his  party  to  make  inquiries. 


ORDERS  TO  LIBERATE  SLAVES. 


319 


"I  can  stand  these  scoundrels'  conduct  no  longer.  I  have 
tried  lenient  measures,  and  I  had  hoped  that  by  forming  Sulei- 
man's party  into  an  irregular  corps  I  might  be  able,  by  degrees, 
to  change  their  habits,  and  to  reduce  them  by  good  discipline 
into  useful  troops ;  but  1  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or 
the  leopard  his  spots?' 

"  I  immediately  released  and  examined  the  captive  sheiks,  who 
one  and  all  declared  that  the  fault  lay  with  Suleiman,  who  had 
previously  arranged  the  plan  with  Eahonka :  that  when  I  should 
be  led  away  a  distance  of  two  days'  journey,  he  would  assemble 
his  men  and  attack  Eionga  in  conjunction  with  Rahonka's  army. 

"  The  report  of  Umbogo,  the  dragoman,  is  thus  corroborated 
by  overwhelming  evidence.  This  man,  Umbogo,  declares  that 
Abou  Saood  wrote  to  Suleiman,  instructing  him  to  wait  until  I 
should  have  passed  on,  and  then  to  bring  all  his  slaves  to  Fabbo. 

"I  immediately  sent  Captain  Mohammed  Deii  with  fifty  men, 
including  twenty-five  of  the  'Forty  Thieves,'  with  orders  to  liber- 
ate all  slaves  that  might  be  discovered  within  the  zareeba.  He 
was  to  summon  all  the  people  of  Suleiman,  and  to  disarm  those 
who  had  run  away  from  the  colonel,  Abd-el-Kader. 

"In  the  event  of  resistance,  he  was  to  use  the  force  at  his  dis- 
posal, and  at  all  hazards  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  slavers  across 
the  river. 

"  Suleiman  and  Eddrees  were  to  be  brought  before  me. 

"A  heavy  shower  fell  just  after  the  troops  started. 

u April  14. — Julian's  horse,  Gazelle,  died  last  night;  the  poor 
animal  had  been  ill  for  some  days. 

"  Quonga,  who  is  the  sheik  of  this  district,  came  this  morning 
and  excused  his  absence  in  rather  a  lame  fashion,  by  saying 
that  he  had  been  collecting  food  for  the  troops,  together  with  car- 
riers, who  are  now  ready  to  transport  the  baggage  to  Masindi. 
He  declared  that  Kabba  Eega  was  impatient,  and  had  sent  three 
of  Suleiman's  people  to  deliver  the  message  to  me  ;  but  these  ras- 
cals had  passed  on  this  morning  direct  to  the  zareeba  of  Sulei- 
man, without  communicating  with  us  on  the  way. 

"Quonga  not  only  corroborated  the  testimony  of  the  sheiks 
and  the  dragoman,  Umbogo,  against  Suleiman,  as  having  con- 
spired to  attack  Rionga  after  my  departure,  but  he  gave  addi- 
tional evidence  that  'Suleiman  had  told  Eahonka  and  the  great 
sheiks  that  I,  the  Pasha,  knew  nothing  about  war,  that  none  of 
the  government  troops  could  shoot,  and  that  I  should  only  trav- 
el and  subsist  upon  the  country;  but  that  he  (Suleiman)  would 
join  them  and  kill  Eionga  after  I  should  have  departed.' 


320 


ISMAILlA. 


"  This  I  believe  to  be  true,  as  a  few  days  ago,  when  speaking 
of  the  troops,  I  had  told  Suleiman  that  the  Soudanis  were  very 
hardy  soldiers  for  marching  and  resisting  climate,  but  that  gener- 
ally they  were  bad  shots.  Thus,  in  a  treacherous  manner,  he  has 
informed  the  natives  that  the  soldiers  of  the  government  can  not' 
shoot.  In  the  afternoon  fresh  reports  reached  me  that  Suleiman 
had,  with  his  own  hands,  murdered  the  native  to  whom  I  had 
given  protection.  He  had  committed  this  horrible  act  the  in- 
stant that  my  back  was  turned,  and  he  had  exhibited  the  crime 
before  the  great  sheiks,  in  derision  of  my  authority ! 

"At  4.30.  P.M.  Captain  Mohammed  Deii  returned  with  his  par- 
ty of  fifty  men,  together  with  the  vakeels,  Suleiman  and  Eddrees, 
with  six  of  their  men  who  had  been  met  upon  their  road  from 
Masindi,  and  eight  slaves. 

"As  I  had  expected  to  hear,  the  greater  number  of  Suleiman's 
people  had  escaped  with  their  slaves  to  Fabbo,  when  the  colonel, 
Abd-el-Kader,  had  suddenly  appeared  among  them,  as  his  arriv- 
al had  disconcerted  all  Suleiman's  arrangements ;  and  my  deten- 
tion at  Kisoona  had  completely  upset  all  his  plans  respecting  an 
alliance  with  Kahonka's  army.  That  cunning  general  had  gone 
off  straight  to  Kabba  Eega  after  his  escape  through  the  wall  of 
his  hut. 

"  I  summoned  the  great  sheiks,  Kittakara,  Quonga,  together 
with  Pittia,  and  several  others.  These  men  gave  their  evidence 
most  clearly  as  witnesses  to  the  plan  arranged  by  Suleiman  for 
the  attack  upon  Eionga,  and  as  eye-witnesses  to  the  murder  of 
the  prisoner,  whom  they  saw  dragged  by  Suleiman  and  his  men 
to  the  grove  of  bananas  where  he  was  beheaded. 

"I  ordered  Suleiman  and  his  people  to  be  disarmed,  and  se- 
cured both  him  and  Eddrees  in  shebas. 

"  The  sun  had  set,  and,  the  sky  being  overcast,  it  had  become 
extremely  dark. 

"I  proceeded  at  once  to  the  trial  of  Suleiman  and  Eddrees,  as 
the  witnesses  were  all  present. 

"  The  bugler  sounded  the  'taboor'  (assembly),  and  the  officers 
and  troops  quickly  appeared,  and  formed  in  line  two  deep,  facing 
the  table  at  which  we  sat.  I  ordered  half  a  dozen  large  port-fires 
to  be  brought;  these  were  lighted  and  held  by  six  men  who 
stepped  forward  from  the  ranks.  The  blaze  of  red  light  illu- 
mined the  whole  neighborhood,  and  cast  a  peculiar  glow  upon 
the  dark  foliage  of  the  bananas,  and  the  forms  of  the  dusky  chiefs 
who  sat  in  a  line  opposite  the  troops. 

"  Suleiman  and  Eddrees  were  led  by  the  guard,  and  appeared 


PUNISHMENT  OF  THE  MURDERER. 


321 


before  the  tribunal.  Suleiman,  although  pinioned,  retained  the 
same  haughty  swagger  that  had  always  distinguished  him.  The 
charges  against  him  were  as  follows : 

"  1.  For  having  conspired  to  attack  Eionga  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  my  positive  orders. 

"  2.  For  treasonably  speaking  against  the  government  of  the 
Khedive  to  the  native  chiefs. 

"  3.  For  arranging  and  abetting  the  escape  of  the  irregular 
new  levy,  who  had  enlisted  in  the  government  service,  together 
with  that  of  the  slaves. 

"4.  For  having  murdered,  with  his  own  hands,  a  native  whom 
I  had  confided  to  his  care. 

"After  a  careful  trial,  the  prisoner  was  found  guilty  upon  ev- 
ery charge ;  and  the  second  vakeel,  Eddrees,  was  proved  to  have 
been  an  accomplice. 

"I  immediately  sentenced  Suleiman  to  receive  two  hundred 
lashes  upon  the  spot,  as  a  first  installment  of  future  punishment. 
Blue-lights  had  been  substituted  for  the  port-fires  that  had  burn- 
ed out,  and  the  effect  of  this  change  of  color  heightened  the  the- 
atrical appearance  of  the  scene,  as  the  haughty  brigand,  Sulei- 
man, was  laid  upon  the  ground  by  the  ready  troops  to  receive 
his  punishment. 

"My  ever-present  attendant,  Monsoor,  volunteered  to  be  one 
of  the  whippers,  and  the  pride  and  haughtiness  of  the  prisoner 
were  soon  exchanged  for  effeminate  cries  for  pardon.  It  was  this 
same  man,  Suleiman,  who  had  flogged  a  poor  boy  nearly  to  death 
during  my  former  journey,  and  the  life  of  the  child  had  with  dif- 
ficulty been  saved  by  the  kind  attention  of  my  wife.  When  he 
now  cried  for  mercy,  I  recalled  to  his  recollection  the  unfortunate 
boy,  whose  posterior  he  had  literally  cut  off  with  a  whip  of  hippo- 
potamus' hide  

"Eddrees  was  sentenced  to  receive  one  hundred  lashes;  but 
when  thirty  strokes  had  been  administered  the  native  chiefs  in- 
terceded in  his  behalf,  saying  that  the  great  blame  rested  upon 
Suleiman,  and  that  Eddrees  was  not  a  bad  man,  but  that  he  was 
obliged  to  obey  the  orders  of  his  superior. 

"  They  now  continued  that  Suleiman  had  ruined  the  country, 
that  he  had  kidnaped  all  the  women  and  children,  and  that  the 
natives  had  fled  from  their  homes  as  the  result. 

"I  was  much  struck  with  the  straightforward,  at  the  same 
time  moderate,  behavior  of  the  native  chiefs.  I  accordingly 
spared  Eddrees,  who  at  once  turned  evidence  against  Suleiman, 
together  with  two  of  his  own  soldiers. 


322 


ISMAIL  1  A. 


"They  signed  a  declaration  as  witnesses  of  the  murder  of  the 
native  by  Suleiman.  This  paper  was  formally  witnessed  and 
signed  by  Lieutenant  Baker,  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  and  Captain 
Mohammed  Deii. 

"The  punishment  having  been  awarded,  and  the  prisoners 
withdrawn,  but  secured  in  shebas  by  the  guard,  I  addressed  the 
native  chiefs,  assuring  them  of  my  protection,  and  that  in  future 
the  country  should  be  governed  with  perfect  justice;  that  prop- 
erty and  the  rights  of  women  and  children  would  be  respected, 
and  that  any  transgressor  of  the  law  would  be  punished.  I  ex- 
plained that  the  object  of  the  expedition  was  to  bring  prosperi- 
ty ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  I  should  expect  fidelity  from  Kabba 
Kega  and  his  people.  I  told  them  that  I  should  lead  the  prison- 
ers in  shebas  to  Kabba  Kega;  he  must  then  summon  a  general 
assembly  of  his  chiefs  to  hear  and  witness  the  truth. 

"I  now  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  'destoor'  (retreat), 
and  the  troops  marched  back  to  their  quarters. 

"The  trial  was  over;  the  blue-lights  had  burned  out,  and  we 
were  now  in  comparative  darkness  beneath  the  banana  foliage, 
with  a  feeble  lamp  glimmering  on  the  table. 

"  The  native  chiefs  declared  their  perfect  confidence  in  the 
government,  and  that  we  should  start  on  the  following  morning 
direct  for  Masindi." 


OBSERVING  A  PECULIAR  CUSTOM. 


323 


CHAPTER' XVIII. 

MARCH  TO  MASINDL 

"April  15.— The  latitude  of  Kisoona  was  2°  2'  36"  N.  We 
started  at  11  a.m.  till  1  p.m.,  reaching  Kasiga  —  eight  miles  — 
through  interminable  forest  full  of  fine  ripe  yellow  plums  and 
unripe  custard-apples. 

"April  16.  — Started  at  8.20  a.m.  till  12,  arriving  at  Koki — 
thick  forest  throughout  the  march.  We  passed  several  small 
villages,  and  made  twelve  miles,  N.  lat.  1°  59'.  I  gave  various 
seeds  of  European  vegetables  to  the  head  man ;  and  I  myself 
sowed  the  seeds  of  water-melons  and  sweet-melons  in  his  garden, 
and  explained  their  cultivation. 

"April  17. — All  the  carriers  have  absconded.  There  is  exten- 
sive cultivation  in  this  district,  and  the  tobacco  is  well  attended, 
as  the  tops  of  the  plants  are  carefully  nipped  off  to  prevent  them 
from  running  too  much  into  stalk. 

"  The  chief,  Kittakara,  who  is  a  kind  of  prime  minister  to  Kab- 
ba  Rega,  gave  me  this  afternoon  the  history  of  the  country. 

"  Kabba  Rega  is  the  sixteenth  king  since  the  original  conquest 
of  Unyoro  by  the  Gallas.  These  invaders  arrived  from  the  East, 
beyond  the  country  of  the  Langgos. 

"To  this  day  a  peculiar  custom  is  observed.  Before  a  new 
king  can  ascend  the  throne,  he  is  compelled  to  sleep  during  two 
nights  on  the  east  of  the  Victoria  Nile.  He  then  marches  along 
the  path  by  which  his  victorious  ancestor  invaded  Unyoro,  and, 
upon  reaching  the  river,  he  takes  boat  and  crosses  to  the  exact 
landing-place  where  the  original  conqueror  first  set  his  foot  upon 
the  frontier. 

"April  18. — I  purchased  a  quantity  of  excellent  tobacco  and 
divided  it  among  the  soldiers,  as  a  reward  for  their  having  re- 
spected the  native  gardens  during  the  march. 

"  Kittakara  is  the  only  gentleman  that  I  have  seen  in  the  coun- 
try, and  he  never  asks  for  presents ;  thus  forming  an  extraordi- 
nary exception  to  the  rule  of  Unyoro  society. 

"  I  gave  him  a  blue  blanket,  a  zinc  mirror,  a  spoon,  comb,  and 
four  red -and -yellow  handkerchiefs.  To  Quonga  I  gave  a  tar- 
boosh (fez),  and  four  yards  of  Turkey-red  cloth. 


ISMAIL  I  A. 


.  "April  19. — Fresh  carriers  arrived,  and  we  started  at  10.45 
A.M.,  and  baited  at  4  P.M. — twelve  miles.  Forest  and  high  grass 
as  usual  throughout  the  route,  which  would  render  this  country 
highly  dangerous  in  case  of  hostilities. 

"  The  lofty  mountains  on  the  west  shore  of  the  Albert  N'yanza 
are  now  about  fifty  miles  distant.  We  halted  at  a  populous  dis- 
trict, and  occupied  a  village  at  Chorobeze. 

"There  is  an  impression  of  general  ruin  in  passing  through 
this  wonderfully  fertile  country.  The  slave-hunters  and  their  al- 
lies have  produced  this  frightful  result  by  ransacking  the  district 
for  slaves. 

"  The  civil  dissensions  after  Kamrasi's  death  were  favorable 
for  the  traders'  schemes.  The  two  sons,  Kabba  Rega  and  Kab- 
ka  Miro,  contended  for  the  throne.  The  latter  was  royally  born 
by  sire  and  mother,  but  Kabba  Rega  was  a  son  by  a  shepherdess 
of  the  Bahoomas.  The  throne  belonged  by  inheritance  to  Kabka 
Miro,  who,  not  wishing  to  cause  a  civil  war,  and  thus  destroy  the 
country,  challenged  his  brother  to  single  combat  in  the  presence 
of  all  the  people.    The  victor  was  to  be  king. 

"  Kabba  Eega  was  a  coward,  and  refused  the  challenge.  The 
chivalrous  Kabka  Miro  again  offered  terms:  Kabba  Rega,  as  the 
son  of  the  shepherdess,  should  take  all  the  flocks  and  herds,  and 
Kabka  Miro  would  occupy  the  throne. 

"Kabba  Rega,  like  most  cowards,  was  exceedingly  cunning 
and  treacherous,  and,  with  the  alliance  of  Suleiman's  people,  he 
shot  his  gallant  brother,  and  secured  both  the  throne  'and  his  fa- 
ther's flocks. 

"April  20. — All  the  native  carriers  have,  as  usual,  absconded. 
We  are  now  about  twenty-seven  miles  from  Masindi,  the  head- 
quarters of  Kabba  Rega,  and  yet  there  are  no  signs  of  control. 

"  I  ascended  a  small  hill  near  the  village,  and  sighted  the  wa- 
ters of  the  Albert  N'yanza,  due  west,  about  twenty  miles  distant. 

"April  21. — About  fifty  natives  collected.  I  sent  off  Colonel 
Abd-el-Kader,  with  the  prisoners,  to  Kabba  Rega,  to  complain 
of  the  want  of  carriers  and  provisions.  I  ordered  him  to  disarm 
all  the  traders'  people,  and  the  Baris  in  their  employ,  who  might 
be  at  Masindi;  as  the  news  has  arrived  that  the  men  belonging 
to  Suleiman  have  returned  to  Foweera,  and  are  actually  taking 
slaves  in  the  neighborhood. 

"April  22. — More  natives  collected.  I  sent  off  one  hundred 
and  forty  loads  in  charge  of  Morgian  Agha,  with  an  escort  of 
twenty  soldiers,  and  the  herd  of  cattle.  The  latitude  of  Choro- 
beze was  1°  57'  N. 


ARRIVAL  AT  MASINDI. 


"April  23.— The  natives  having  collected,  we  started  at  10.5 
A.M.  I  was  obliged  to  walk,  as  my  good  horse,  '  Greedy  Gray,' 
is  sick. 

"  The  route  was  through  forest  and  high  grass  as  usual.  We 
marched  seventeen  miles,  and  halted  at  immense  groves  of  ba- 
nanas, at  a  place  called  Jon  Joke. 

"  The  baggage  and  cattle  arrived  after  sunset,  Morgian  Agha 
having  been  deserted  yesterday  by  all  the  carriers.  As  usual, 
throughout  the  route  the  water  is  bad. 

"Alas!  my  poor  horse,  'Greedy  Gray,'  died  to-day.  He  was 
the  most  perfect  of  all  the  horses  I  had  brought  from  Cairo. 

"April  24. — As  usual,  the  native  carriers  have  all  bolted  ! 
Last  night  a  sergeant  arrived  with  a  letter  addressed  to  me  from 
Abd-el-Kader,  who  has  carried  out  my  orders  by  disarming  the 
traders'  party. 

"April  25. — It  rained  throughout  the  night.  The  carriers  sent 
by  Kabba  Rega  arrived  early.  We  started  at  8.15  a.m.,  and 
marched  ten  miles,  arriving  at  last  at  the  capital  of  Unyoro — 
Masindi. 

"This  large  town  is  situated  on  high,  undulating  land,  with  an 
extensive  view,  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  range  of  mountains 
bordering  the  Albert  N'yanza,  about  fifty  miles  distant.  The 
country  is  open,  but  covered  with  high  grass.  A  succession  of 
knolls,  all  more  or  less  ornamented  with  park-like  trees,  charac- 
terize the  landscape,  which  slopes  gradually  down  toward  the 
west,  and  drains  into  the  Albert  N'yanza,  which  is  about  twenty 
miles  distant. 

"  The  town  of  Masindi  is,  as  usual  throughout  Unyoro,  exceed- 
ingly neglected,  and  is  composed  of  some  thousand  large  bee- 
hive-shaped straw  huts,  without  any  arrangement  or  plan. 

"I  selected  a  position  beneath  a  large  banian-tree,  which  I  had 
cleared  from  the  herbage;  and  having  pitched  the  tent,  the  na- 
tives tore  up  about  an  acre  of  the  high  grass,  and  we  encamped 
upon  the  clean  ground. 

"Kabba  Rega  sent  a  present  of  twenty-nine  loads  of  tullaboon 
(a  small  seed,  Eleusine  Coracan),  a  quantity  of  plantains  and  pota- 
toes, and  six  goats. 

"  This  spot  is  in  N.  lat.  1°  45',  and  is  seventy-nine  miles,  by 
our  route  from  the  river  at  Foweera.  We  are  thus  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-two  miles  by  route  from  Ismailia  (Gondokoro). 

"April  26. — I  visited  Kabba  Rega  officially,  with  the  officers 
and  troops  in  full  uniform,  and  the  band  playing. 

"I  found  him  sitting  in  his  divan  ;  this  was  a  large  neatlj'-con- 


326 


ISMAILLL 


structed  hut,  ornamented  with  some  very  common  printed  cotton 
cloths,  which  had  arrived  via  Zanzibar.  Kabba  Eega  was  very 
well  clad,  in  beautifully  made  bark-cloth  striped  with  black ;  he 
was  excessively  neat,  and  appeared  to  be  about  twenty  years  of 
age.  He  gave  me  the  same  account  of  the  atrocious  proceedings 
of  Abou  Saood's  companies  that  I  had  already  received  from  his 
chiefs,  and  he  expressed  his  delight  at  my  arrival,  and  that  I  had 
captured  Suleiman  and  some  of  his  people. 

"I  explained  the  intentions  of  the  Khedive  of  Egypt,  at  the 
same  time  I  lamented  the  terrible  change  that  had  occurred 
throughout  his  country  since  my  former  visit.  I  assured  him 
that  the  future  would  be  .prosperous,  and  that,  under  the  protec- 
tion of  Egypt,  he  would  never  have  further  cause  for  alarm.  I 
then  summoned  the  prisoners  that  had  been  captured  and  disarm- 
ed by  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader ;  and  having  explained  the  charges 
against  them,  they  were  publicly  flogged  in  the  presence  of  a 
multitude  of  Kabba  Eega's  people,  while  Suleiman  and  Eddrees 
were  led  away  in  shebas,  to  the  astonishment  and  delight  of  all 
beholders. 

"The  slaves  that  had  been  discovered  in  possession  of  Sulei- 
man's people  were  now  brought  forward,  and  having  been  iden- 
tified by  Kabba  Eega  and  his  people  as  belonging  to  Unyoro, 
they  were  at  once  released,  and  I  returned  both  young  girls  and 
boys  to  their  country.  One  woman  did  not  wish  to  leave  the 
traders,  as  she  had  been  married  to  one  of  the  company  for  some 
years,  and  had  several  children. 

"  I  explained  that  they  were  actually  free — to  remain  with  their 
captors,  or  to  return  to  their  homes,  as  they  thought  proper. 

"This  was  a  good  opportunity  for  assuring  both  Kabba  Eega 
and  his  people  that  I  should  restore  all  the  slaves  that  had  been 
carried  out  of  their  country  to  the  various  stations  of  Abou  Saood 
at  Fatiko,  Fabbo,  Faloro,  etc. 

"  I  described  to  the  young  king  and  his  chiefs  that  I  was  de- 
termined to  suppress  the  slave-trade,  and  that  I  had  hitherto  for- 
borne to  interfere  in  the  release  of  the  slaves  at  the  various  sta- 
tions, as  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  have  returned  them  to 
their  distant  homes,  neither  could  I  have  supplied  them  with  food. 
I  was  now  at  Masindi,  beyond  the  farthest  station  of  Abou  Saood, 
and  I  should  certainly  insist  upon  the  return  of  every  slave  that 
had  been  kidnaped  from  this  country.  This  would  at  once  prove 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Unyoro  the  benefit  of  the  Khedive's  pro- 
tection. 

" April  27. — Kabba  Eega  had  arranged  to  return  my  visit. 


KABBA  BfiGA'S  VISIT. 


327 


"I  had  ordered  a  broad  roadway  to  be  cleared  from  Kabba 
Rega's  divan  to  my  tent,  which  was  pitched  beneath  an  enormous 
fig-tree  or  banian  (Ficus  Indica).  The  troops  were  lined  on  ei- 
ther side  of  this  approach  in  their  best  uniforms. 

"  The  band  was  stationed  near  the  tent,  which  was  spread  with 
skins  and  small  carpets,  all  the  sides  being  open. 

"An  hour  and  a  half  passed  away  after  the  first  messenger  had 
arrived  from  Kabba  Rega  to  announce  his  arrival.  One  after  an- 
other, messengers  had  hurried  to  assure  me  that  the  king  was  just 
now  approaching;  but  still  the  troops  remained  in  expectation, 
and  no  king  made  an  appearance. 

"At  length,  after  this  long  delay,  he  sent  Rahonka  to  say  that 
'if  it  was  all  the  same  to  me,  he  would  rather  see  me  at  his  own 
house.' 

"This  unmannerly  young  cub  was  actually  suspicious  of  foul 
play,  and  was  afraid  to  enter  my  tent! 

"I  immediately  told  Rahonka  that  his  king  was  evidently  not 
old  enough  to  have  learned  good  manners,  therefore  I  should  at 
once  dismiss  the  troops,  who  had  already  been  waiting  for  nearly 
two  hours  to  do  him  honor. 

"  I  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  '  destoor,'  and  the  troops  at 
once  obeyed  the  signal. 

"Terrified  at  the  sound  of  the  bugle,  which  was  known  to  be 
some  mysterious  order,  Rahonka  implored  me  not  to  be  angry, 
and  he  would  at  once  bring  Kabba  Rega  to  the  tent.  The  troops 
resumed  their  position. 

"In  a  few  minutes  a  great  din  of  horns,  drums,  and  whistles 
announced  his  approach,  and  we  observed  him  walking  down 
the  road  with  an  extraordinary  gait,  He  was  taking  enormous 
strides,  as  though  caricaturing  the  walk  of  a  giraffe.  This  was 
supposed  to  be  an  imitation  of  M'tese,  the  king  of  Uganda,  whose 
ridiculous  attempt  to  walk  like  a  lion  has  been  described  by 
Speke. 

"  Kabba  Rega  thus  stalked  along,  followed  by  his  great  chiefs, 
Kittakara,  Matonse,  Rahonka,  Quonga,  and  a  number  of  others. 
Upon  arrival  opposite  the  band,  the  bugles  and  drums  suddenly 
commenced  with  such  a  clash  of  cymbals  that  he  seemed  rather 
startled,  and  he  entered  the  tent  in  the  most  undignified  manner, 
with  an  air  of  extreme  shyness,  half  concealed  by  audacity. 

"He  was  trembling  with  nervous  anxiety,  and  with  some  hes- 
itation he  took  his  seat  upon  the  divan  that  had  been  prepared 
for  him.  His  principal  chiefs  sat  upon  skins  and  carpets  arranged 
upon  the  ground. 


328 


ISMAILlA. 


"A  crowd  of  about  two  thousand  people  had  accompanied 
him,  making  a  terrific  noise  with  whistles,  horns,  and  drums. 
These  were  now  silenced,  and  the  troops  formed  a  guard  around 
the  tent  to  keep  the  mob  at  a  respectful  distance.  Every  now 
and  then  several  men  of  Kabba  Rega's  body-guard  rushed  into 
the  crowd  and  laid  about  them  with  bludgeons  five  feet  long,  hit- 
ting to  the  right  and  left.  This  always  chased  the  crowd  away 
for  a  few  minutes,  until,  by  degrees,  they  resumed  their  position. 
Every  body  was  dressed  up  for  a  grand  occasion,  mostly  in  new 
clothes  of  bark-cloth,  and  many  were  in  skins  of  wild  animals, 
with  their  heads  fantastically  ornamented  with  the  horns  of  goats 
or  antelopes.  The  sorcerers  were  an  important  element.  These 
rascals,  who  are  the  curse  of  the  country,  were,  as  usual,  in  a 
curious  masquerade  with  fictitious  beards,  manufactured  with  a 
number  of  bushy  cows'  tails. 

"  Kabba  Kega  was  about  five  feet  ten  inches  in  height,  and  of 
extremely  light  complexion.  His  eyes  were  very  large,  but  pro- 
jected in  a  disagreeable  manner.  A  broad  but  low  forehead  and 
high  cheek  bones,  added  to  a  large  mouth,  with  rather  prominent 
but  exceedingly  white  teeth,  complete  the  description  of  his  face. 
His  hands  were  beautifully  shaped,  and  his  finger-nails  were  care- 
fully pared  and  scrupulously  clean.  The  nails  of  his  feet  were 
equally  well  attended  to.  He  wore  sandals  of  raw  buffalo-hide, 
but  neatly  formed,  and  turned  up  round  the  edges. 

"  His  robe  of  bark-cloth,  which  completely  covered  his  body, 
was  exquisitely  made,  and  had  been  manufactured  in  Uganda, 
which  country  is  celebrated  for  this  curious  production. 

"  This  was  Kabba  Kega,  the  son  of  Karnrasi,  the  sixteenth  king 
of  Unyoro,  of  the  Galla  conquerors,  a  gauche,  awkward,  undig- 
nified lout  of  twenty  years  of  age,  who  thought  himself  a  great 
monarch.  He  was  cowardly,  cruel,  cunning,  and  treacherous  to 
the  last  degree.  Not  only  had  he  ordered  the  destruction  of  his 
brother,  Kabka  Miro,  but  after  his  death  he  had  invited  all  his 
principal  relations  to  visit  him.  These  he  had  received  with  the 
greatest  kindness,  and  at  parting  he  had  presented  them  with 
gifts,  together  with  an  escort  of  his  body-guard,  called  bonasoora, 
to  see  them  safe  home.  These  men,  by  the  young  king's  instruc- 
tions, murdered  them  all  in  the  high  grass  during  their  return 
journey.  By  these  means  he  had  got  rid  of  troublesome  rela- 
tions, and  he  now  sat  securely  upon  the  throne,  with  only  one 
great  enemy ;  this  was  Rionga,  the  staunch  and  determined  foe 
of  his  father,  who  had  escaped  from  every  treachery,  and  still 
lived  to  defy  him  in  the  north-eastern  provinces  of  Unyoro. 


KABBA  EMA'S  SUSPICIONS. 


329 


"It  was  easy  to  understand  that  he  would  welcome  my  arrival 
with  a  force  sufficiently  large  to  assist  him  against  Rionga,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  rid  him  of  Suleiman's  party.  He  made  use  of 
the  latter  force  as  mercenary  troops,  to  which  he  was  obliged  to 
allow  boundless  license;  otherwise  he  might  be  invaded  by  the 
whole  power  of  the  combined  companies  of  Fabbo,  Faloro,  Fati- 
ko,  and  Farragenia.  These  companies  might  at  any  time  change 
sides  and  ally  themselves  with  Rionga  ;  thus,  could  I  clear  the 
country  of  such  doubtful  allies,  he  would  be  relieved  from  all 
cause  of  alarm." 

Notwithstanding  these  advantages,  the  young  king  sat  uneasily 
upon  his  divan,  and  appeared  timid  and  suspicious.  According 
to  Turkish  etiquette,  a  handsome  chibouque,  trimmed  with  blue 
silk  and  gold,  was  handed  to  him.  He  examined  the  amber 
mouth-piece,  but  declined  to  smoke,  as  "tobacco  would  blacken 
his  teeth ;"  this  was  a  curious  excuse  from  a  Central  African 
dandy. 

I  begged  him  to  accept  the  long  pipe  as  a  reminiscence  of  my 
arrival.  Coffee  and  sherbet  were  then  handed  to  him,  but  he 
declined  both,  and  insisted  upon  two  of  his  chiefs  drinking  the 
whole ;  during  which  operation  he  watched  them  attentively,  as 
though  in  expectation  of  some  poisonous  effect. 

This  was  conduct  that  boded  no  good  for  future  relations.  My 
wife  tried  to  converse  with  him  through  the  interpreter,  Umbogo. 
Kabba  Rega  then  explained  that  he  recollected  us  both,  as  he 
was  one  of  a  crowd,  when  a  boy,  on  the  day  we  started  from 
M'rooli  for  the. Albert  N'yanza. 

The  conversation  quickly  turned  upon  Rionga,  whom  he  de- 
clared must  be  either  captured  or  killed  before  any  improvement 
could  take  place  in  the  country.  The  young  king  assumed  that 
it  was  already  arranged  that  I  should  assist  him  in  this  laudable 
object.  I  now  changed  the  conversation  by  ordering  a  large  met- 
al box^o  be  brought  in.  This  had  already  been  filled  with  an 
assortment  of  presents,  including  a  watch.  I  explained  to  him 
that  the  latter  had  been  intended  for  his  father,  Kamrasi,  in  the 
recollection  of  his  constant  demands  for  my  watch  during  my 
former  visit.  The  new  toy  was  ticking  loudly,  and  it  was  of 
course  handed  round  and  held  to  the  ear  of  each  chief  before  it 
was  replaced  in  the  box. 

Kabba  Rega  replied  that  "he  knew  I  had  been  a  great  friend 
of  his  father,  Kamrasi,  and  that  I  had  now  brought  many  valua- 
ble presents  for  him;  but  I  must  not  forget  that,  although  the 
father  was  dead,  the  son  (himself)  was  still  alive,  therefore  I 


380 


ISMAILlA. 


might  at  once  band  over  to  him  all  that  I  had  intended  for  his 
father." 

This  was  a  true  son  of  his  father  in  the  art  of  begging.  I  re- 
plied that  "hens  did  not  lay  all  their  eggs  in  one  day,  but  contin- 
ued one  by  one ;  and  that  I  hoped,  when  I  should  know  him  bet- 
ter, he  would  discover  the  advantage  of  commerce,  as  the  various 
goods  that  had  now  been  introduced  were  intended  to  exhibit 
the  manufactures  of  my  own  country.  These  would  continue  to 
arrive  in  Unyoro,  to  be  exchanged  for  ivory." 

I  then  exhibited  the  large  musical  box  with  drums  and  bells. 
This  was  one  of  the  best  instruments  of  its  kind,  and  it  played  a 
remarkably  good  selection  of  airs,  which  quite  charmed  the  au- 
dience. Among  the  presents  I  had  given  to  Kabba  Rega  was  a 
small  musical  snuff-box.  This  was  now  wound  up  and  exhib- 
ited, but  the  greedy  young  fellow  at  once  asked  "Why  I  did  not 
give  him  the  large  box  ?" 

I  gave  him  a  regular  lecture  upon  the  advantages  of  commerce 
that  would  introduce  an  important  change  in  this  extraordinary 
country ;  at  the  same  time,  I  recalled  to  his  recollection  that  I 
had  promised  his  father  to  open  up  a  commercial  route  by  which 
the  productions  and  manufactures  of  the  North  should  arrive 
in  Unyoro,  and  render  that  country  even  more  prosperous  than 
Uganda.  I  had  now  arrived,  as  the  lieutenant  of  the  Khedive, 
according  to  my  promise,  and  the  whole  of  the  equatorial  Nile 
basin  would  be  taken  under  his  protection.  No  unnecessary 
wars  would  be  permitted,  but  he  (Kabba  Rega)  would  remain  as 
the  representative  of  the  government,  and  the  affairs  of  the  coun- 
try would  be  conducted  through  him  alone. 

I  assured  him  that  no  country  could  prosper  without  industry 
and  a  good  government;  that  agriculture  was  the  foundation  of 
a  country's  wealth;  and  that  war  or  civil  disturbance,  which  in- 
terfered with  agricultural  employment,  would  ruin  the  kingdom. 
He  replied  that  "Rionga  was  the  sole  cause  of  war;  therefore  it 
would  be  necessary  to  destroy  him  before  any  improvements 
could  be  made.  If  Rionga  were  killed,  and  the  slave-hunters  ex- 
pelled from  the  country,  there  might  be  some  hope  of  progress; 
but  that  it^was  wasting  breath  to  talk  of  commerce  and  agricul- 
ture until  Rionga  should  be  destroyed." 

This  was  Kamrasi's  old  tune  once  more  dinned  into  my  ears. 
In  my  former  journey  I  had  been  deserted  by  my  carriers,  and 
starved  for  three  months  at  Shooa  Moru,  simply  to  induce  me  to 
yield  to  this  repeated  command:  "  Kill  Rionga,  or  give  me  your 
men  to  assist  me  against  Rionga." 


CHANGING  TEE  CONVERSATION 


331 


From  what  I  had  heard,  I  considered  that  Kionga  must  be  a 
very  fine  fellow,  and  much  superior  to  either  Kamrasi  or  his  son. 

In  my  former  journey  I  had  accomplished  a  long  and  difficult 
exploration  without  firing  a  shot  at  a  human  being;  and  I  had 
studiously  avoided  meddling  in  native  politics,  which  is  certain 
to  involve  a  traveler  in  difficulty.  It  had  always  been  a  source 
of  great  satisfaction  when  I  looked  back  to  my  past  adventures, 
and  reflected  that  I  had  never  pulled  a  trigger  at  a  native;  thus 
the  arrival  of  a  white  man  in  these  countries  would  be  regarded 
without  suspicion. 

In  my  present  expedition  I  had  always  endeavored  to  preserve 
peace,  but,  as  this  work  will  show,  I  was  in  every  instance  forced 
to  war  in  absolute  self-defense.  I  was  therefore  determined  not  to 
attack  Rionga  unless  he  should  presume  to  defy  the  government. 

In  reply  to  Kabba  Rega  and  his  chiefs,  who  all  had  joined  in 
the  argument,  I  declared  that  I  would  find  means  to  establish 
peace,  and  that  Rionga  would  assuredly  come  to  terms.  Nothing 
would  induce  me  to  use  force  against  Rionga  or  any  other  per- 
son, unless  absolutely  necessary.  I  suggested  to  Kabba  Rega 
that  he  should  for  a  moment  change  positions  with  Rionga. 
What  would  his  feelings  be,  should  I  wantonly  attack  him  sim- 
ply because  I  had  been  requested  to  do  so  by  his  enemy? 

No  argument  was  of  any  avail.  Kabba  Rega  replied,  "You 
were  my  father's  friend  and  brother:  your  wife  was  the  same. 
You  drove  back  the  slave-hunters  under  Wat-el-Mek  by  hoisting 
your  flag.  Since  you  left  us,  the  slave-hunters  have  returned  and 
ruined  the  country.  My  father  is  dead,  but  Rionga  is  still  alive. 
Now  you  are  my  father,  and  your  wife  is  my  mother:  will  you 
allow  your  son's  enemy  to  live?" 

It  was  quite  useless  to  attempt  reason  with  this  hardened  young 
fellow,  who  had  not  an  idea  of  mercy  in  his  disposition.  As  he 
had  murdered  his  own  relatives  by  the  foulest  treachery,  so  he 
would  of  course  destroy  any  person  who  stood  in  his  way.  I 
therefore  changed  the  conversation  to  Abou  Saood. 

Kabba  Rega  and  his  sheiks  all  agreed  that  he  had  arrived  here 
some  time  ago  in  a  very  miserable  plight,  exceedingly  dirty,  and 
riding  upon  a  donkey.  He  was  without  baggage  of  any  kind, 
and  he  introduced  himself  by  giving  a  present  to  Kabba  Rega  of 
an  old,  battered  metal  basin  and  jug,  in  which  he  washed,  togeth- 
er with  a  very  old  and  worn-out  small  carpet,  upon  which  he  was 
accustomed  to  sit.  With  these  magnificent  presents  he  declared 
that  he  was  "  the  son  of  a  sultan,  who  had  come  to  visit,  the  King 
of  Unyoro." 


:332 


ISMAIL  I  A. 


Kabba  Eega  had  replied  that  "he  did  not  believe  it,  as  he  had 
heard  that  he  was  simply  a  trader." 

Keports  had  reached  Unyoro  that  I  had  arrived  at  Gondokoro, 
and  that  I  was  on  my  way  to  visit  Kamrasi,  and  to  explore  the 
Albert  N'yanza;  therefore  Kabba  Bega  had  questioned  Abou 
Saood  concerning  me. 

"  Oh,"  Abou  Saood  replied,  "that  man  whom  we  call  'the  trav- 
eler?' Oh  yes,  he  was  a  very  good  fellow  indeed;  but  he  is  dead. 
He  died  long  ago.  The  Pasha  is  a  very  different  person,  and  I 
hope  he  will  never  be  able  to  reach  this  country.  If  he  does,  it 
will  be  a  bad  time  for  you." 

"  Indeed  I"  replied  Kabba  Bega.  "  I  heard  that  the  Pasha  and 
the  traveler,  the  friend  of  my  father,  were  the  same  person." 

"  You  have  been  deceived,"  said  Abou  Saood.  "  The  Pasha  is 
not  like  the  traveler,  or  any  other  man.  He  is  a  monster  with 
three  separate  heads,  in  each  of  which  are  six  eyes — three  upon 
each  side.  Thus  with  eighteen  eyes  he  can  see  every  thing  and 
every  country  at  once.  He  has  three  enormous  mouths,  which 
are  furnished  with  teeth  like  those  of  a.  crocodile,  and  he  devours 
human  flesh.  He  has  already  killed  and  eaten  the  Bari  people, 
and  destroyed  their  country.  Should  he  arrive  here,  he  will  pull 
you  from  the  throne  and  seize  your  kingdom.  You  must  light 
him,  and  by  no  means  allow  him  to  cross  the  river  at  Foweera. 
M}7  soldiers  will  fight  him  on  the  road  from  Gondokoro,  as  will 
all  the  natives  of  the  country.  But  I  don't  think  he  will  be  able 
to  leave  Gondokoro,  as  he  has  a  large  amount  of  baggage,  and 
T  have  told  the  Baris  not  to  transport  it:  thus  he  will  have  no 
carriers." 

This  was  the  actual  report  that  Abou  Saood  had  given  to  Kab- 
ba Bega,  as  the  dragoman  Umbogo  had  been  the  interpreter,  in 
the  presence  of  Mohammed,  my  old  Cairo  dragoman. 

I  laughed  outright  at  this  absurdity;  at  the  same  time  it  cor- 
roborated all  that  I  had  already  heard  of  Abou  Saood's  treachery. 
I  immediately  asked  Kabba  Bega  if  he  was  satisfied  now  that  he 
had  seen  me  ?  He  replied,  "Abou  Saood  is  a  liar,  and  }tou  are 
Kamrasi's  friend,  and  my  father;  therefore  you  will,  I  am  sure, 
assist  me,  and  relieve  me  from  my  great  enemy,  Bionga.  I  shall 
then  know  that  you  are  indeed  my  true  friend." 

Once  more  it  was  necessary  to  change  the  conversation.  A 
number  of  buffoons  that  were  kept  about  the  court  for  the  amuse- 
ment of  the  young  king  now  came  forward.  The  crowd  was 
driven  back,  and  an  open  space  having  been  thus  cleared,  they 
performed  a  curious  theatrical  scene,  followed  by  a  general  fight 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  SOIL. 


333 


with  clubs,  until  one  man,  having  knocked  down  all  the  party, 
remained  the  victor.  The  scene  terminated  with  an  act  of  dis- 
gusting indecency,  which  created  roars  of  laughter  from  the  im- 
mense crowd,  who  evidently  considered  this  was  the  great  joke 
of  the  piece. 

"Kabba  Rega  now  took  leave,  and  retired  as  he  had  before 
arrived,  with  drums,  whistles,  horns,  flageolets,  making  a  horrid 
din  " 

The  spot  that  I  had  selected  for  a  station  was  at  the  southern 
edge  of  the  town,  from  which  site  the  land  sloped  into  a  valley 
about  a  hundred  feet  below.  I  had  at  once  commenced  clearing 
away  the  high  grass,  and  as  usual,  when  first  settling,  I  had 
broken  up  a  few  small  plots,  and  had  already  sown  seeds  of 
English  cucumbers,  sweet-melons,  etc. 

The  soil  was  wonderfully  rich,  at  the  same  time  it  was  very 
easily  worked.  When  the  tall  rank  grass  was  torn  out  by  the 
roots,  a  fine  surface  was  exposed  that  resembled  dark  chocolate. 
This  was  a  vegetable  loam,  with  a  minimum  of  two  feet  thickness, 
resting  upon  a  bright  red  quartz  gravel. 

The  quartz  was  not  rounded,  and  appeared  to  be  only  the  resi- 
due of  decayed  rock  that  had  never  been  subjected  to  the  action 
of  running  water.  When  washed,  a  handful  remained  of  sharp  and 
clear  white  fragments.  With  such  a  subsoil  the  country  must  be 
healthy,  as  the  heaviest  shower  drained  rapidly  through  the  gravel. 

I  employed  the  prisoners  in  clearing  the  grass,  while  the  sol- 
diers commenced  cultivation,  and  dug  up  the  ground  with  a  num- 
ber of  hoes  that  I  borrowed  from  Kabba  Rega. 

These  implements  are  nearly  the  same  in  shape  as  those  in 
Gondokoro  and'  throughout  the  Madi  country,  but  smaller,  and 
the  iron  is  very  brittle  and  inferior.  They  are  not  used  like  the 
Dutch  hoe,  with  a  long  handle,  but  are  fixed  upon  a  piece  of 
wood  with  a  bend  of  natural  growth,  so  that  the  hoe  can  be  used 
with  a  downward  stroke  like  a  pickaxe. 

On  April  29th  I  commenced  building  a  government-house  and 
public  divan. 

The  King  of  Uganda  (M'tese)  has  envoys  throughout  the  coun- 
tries which  surround  his  dominions.  One  of  these  chiefs,  who 
represented  M'tese  at  Masindi,  paid  me  a  visit,  and  gave  me  a 
good  deal  of  information. 

He  described  the  M'wootan  N'zige  (Albert  N'yanza)  as  form- 
ing the  western  frontier  of  Karagwe,  from  which  point  it  turned 
westward  for  a  distance  unknown.  This  was  a  similar  descrip- 
tion to  that  given  by  Kamrasi  some  years  ago. 


334 


ISMAILlA. 


I  gave  the  envoy  a  red-and-yellow  handkerchief  to  tie  around 
his  bead.  The  man  was  neatly  dressed  in  Indian  clothes  that 
had  arrived  from  Bombay  via  Zanzibar. 

On  April  30th  Kabba  Rega  sent  a  present  of  twelve  elephants' 
tusks,  forty-one  loads  of  tullaboon,  twelve  pots  of  sour-plantain 
cider,  and  thirty-four  cows.  At  the  same  time  he  complained 
that  some  of  Abou  Saood's  people  were  taking  slaves  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Foweera  and  Kisoona. 

The  principal  chiefs,  together  with  Kabba  Rega,  assured  me 
that  Abou  Saood's  people  had  been  in  the  habit  of  torturing  peo- 
ple to  extract  from  them  the  secret  of  the  spot  in  which  their 
corn  was  concealed.  Throughout  Unyoro  there  are  no  granaries 
exposed  at  the  present  time,  as  the  country  has  been  ravaged  by 
civil  war;  thus  all  corn  is  buried  in  deep  holes  specially  arranged 
for  that  purpose.  When  the  slave-hunters  sought  for  corn,  they 
were  in  the  habit  of  catching  the  villagers  and  roasting  their  pos- 
teriors by  holding  them  down  on  the  mouth  of  a  large  earthen 
water-jar  filled  with  glowing  embers.  If  this  torture  of  roasting 
alive  did  not  extract  the  secret,  they  generally  cut  the  sufferer's 
throat  to  terrify  his  companions,  who  would  then  divulge  the  po- 
sition of  the  hidden  stores  to  avoid  a  similar  fate.  This  accusa- 
tion was  corroborated  by  Mohammed,  the  Cairo  dragoman. 

It  is  difficult  to  conceive  the  brutality  of  these  brigands,  who, 
thus  relieved  from  the  fear  of  a  government,  exhibit  their  un- 
bridled passions  by  every  horrible  crime. 

Umbogo,  the  interpreter,  was  now  regularly  installed  in  a  hut 
within  call  of  my  tent.  This  man  appeared  to  be  exceedingly 
fond  of  us,  and  he  was  the  main  source  of  information. 

He  had  a  very  lovely  wife,  a  Bahooma,  who  was  a  light-brown 
color,  with  beautiful  Abyssinian  eyes;  she  had  been  given  to 
him  by  Kabba  Rega,  with  whom  he  was  a  great  favorite. 

Umbogo  was  very  intelligent,  and  he  took  a  great  interest  in 
all  my  plans  for  establishing  free  trade  throughout  the  country ; 
but  he  told  me  privately  that  he  thought  the  idea  would  be  op- 
posed secretly  by  Kabba  Rega,  who  would  wish  to  monopolize 
all  the  ivory  trade,  in  order  to  keep  up  the  price,  and  to  obtain 
the  whole  of  the  merchandise. 

The  great  variety  of  goods  much  astonished  him,  and  he  ad- 
vised me  strongly  to  send  for  a  large  supply  of  soap,  for  which 
there  would  be  a  great  demand,  as  a  light  complexion  was  great- 
ly admired  in  Unyoro.  He  said  that  Mohammed,  the  Cairo 
dragoman,  was  several  shades  lighter  since  I  had  supplied  him 
with  soap  ;  this  was  true,  as  he  had  been  very  filthy  before  my 


EXTRAORDINARY  CUSTOM. 


335 


arrival;  but  Umbogo  was  persuaded  that  the  difference  between 
white  and  black  people  was  caused  by  the  fact  of  our  ancestors 
having  always  used  soap,  while  the  blacks  used  only  plain  water. 
This  ethnological  fact  having  been  established,  I  gave  him  a  cake 
of  soap,  to  his  great  delight,  as  he  expressed  his  intention  to  be- 
come a  white  man. 

I  was  always  chatting  with  Umbogo  and  the  various  chiefs, 
especially  with  my  favorite,  Kittakara,  who  was  Kabba  Rega's 
most  confidential  counselor.  They  gave  me  a  graphic  account 
of  the  royal  funeral  that  had  taken  place  a  few  months  ago,  when 
Kamrasi  was  interred. 

When  a  king  of  Unyoro  dies,  the  body  is  exposed  upon  a 
frame-work  of  green  wood,  like  a  gigantic  gridiron,  over  a  slow 
fire.  It  is  thus  gradually  dried,  until  it  resembles  an  overroasted 
hare. 

Thus  mummified,  it  is  wrapped  in  new  bark-cloths,  and  the 
body  lies  in  state  within  a  large  house  built  specially  for  its  re- 
ception. 

The  sons  fight  for  the  throne.  The  civil  war  may  last  for 
years,  but  during  this  period  of  anarchy  the  late  king's  body  lies 
still  unburied. 

At  length,  when  victory  has  decided  in  favor  of  one  of  his 
sons,  the  conqueror  visits  the  hut  in  which  his  father's  body  lies 
in  state.  He  approaches  the  corpse,  and  standing  by  its  side,  he 
sticks  the  butt-end  of  his  spear  in  the  ground,  and  leaves  it  thus 
fixed  near  the  right  hand  of  the  dead  king.  This  is  symbolical 
of  victory. 

The  son  now  ascends  the  throne,  and  the  funeral  of  his  father 
must  be  his  first  duty. 

An  immense  pit  or  trench  is  dug,  capable  of  containing  several 
hundred  people.  This  pit  is  neatly  lined  with  new  bark-cloths. 
Several  wives  of  the  late  king  are  seated  together  at  the  bottom, 
to  bear  upon  their  knees  the  body  of  their  departed  lord. 

The  night  previous  to  the  funeral,  the  king's  own  regiment,  or 
body-guard,  surround  many  dwellings  and  villages,  and  seize  the 
people  indiscriminately  as  they  issue  from  their  doors  in  the  early 
morning.    These  captives  are  brought  to  the  pit's  mouth. 

Their  legs  and  arms  are  now  broken  with  clubs,  and  they  are 
pushed  into  the  pit  on  the  top  of  the  king's  body  and  his  wives. 

An  immense  din  of  drums,  horns,  flageolets,  whistles,  mingled 
with  the  yells  of  a  frantic  crowd,  drown  the  shrieks  of  the  suf- 
ferers, upon  whom  the  earth  is  shoveled  and  stamped  down  by 
thousands  of  cruel  fanatics,  who  dance  and  jump  upon  the  loose 


336 


ISMAILlA. 


mould  so  as  to  force  it  into  a  compact  mass;  through  which  the 
victims  of  this  horrid  sacrifice  can  not  grope  their  way,  the  pre- 
caution having  been  taken  to  break  the  bones  of  their  arms  and 
legs.  At  length  the  mangled  mass  is  buried  and  trodden  down 
beneath  a  tumulus  of  earth,  and  all  is  still.    The  funeral  is  over. 

Upon  my  return  to  Egypt,  I  was  one  day  relating  this  barba- 
rous custom  to  a  friend,  when  Mr.  Kay,  of  Alexandria,  reminded 
me  of  the  curious  coincidence  in  the  description  of  the  travels  of 
Ibn  Batuta,  written  a.d.  1346. 

I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Kay  for  the  following  extract  from  the 
work  of  Ibn  Batuta,  which  will  go  far  to  prove  the  extreme 
conservatism  of  Africans  in  all  that  regards  their  rites  and  cus- 
toms. 

On  his  arrival  at  Khan  Balik  (Pekin),  Ibn  Batuta  found  that 
the  khan,  or  emperor,  was  absent.  His  cousin  had  risen  against 
him,  and  had  been  joined  by  most  of  the  ameers,  who  accused 
the  khan  of  having  broken  the  laws  of  the  Yassak,  and  had  called 
upon  him  to  abdicate. 

The  emperor  marched  against  the  rebels  at  the  head  of  an 
army  (which,  Ibn  Batuta  says,  consisted  of  a  million  cavalry  and 
half  a  million  infantry).  A  battle  was  fought,  in  which  the  khan 
was  defeated  and  killed. 

"This  news  reached  the  capital  a  few  days  after  our  arrival. 
The  city  was  decorated,  drums  and  trumpets  were  sounded,  and 
games  and  rejoicings  instituted,  which  continued  for  the  space  of 
a  month. 

"The  dead  body  of  the  khan  was  then. brought,  together  with 
the  bodies  of  about  a  hundred  men,  his  relations  and  followers. 

"A  large  vault  was  constructed  under-ground.  It  was  spread 
with  magnificent  carpets,  and  the  body  of  the  khan  was  laid  in 
it,  along  with  his  weapons,  and  with  the  gold  and  silver  vessels 
that  were  used  in  his  household. 

"  Four  female  slaves  and  six  memluks  were  led  into  the  vault, 
each  provided  with  a  drinking- vessel  filled  with  liquid. 

"  The  entrance  of  the  vault  was  walled  up,  and  earth  was  heap- 
ed on  the  top  until  it  resembled  a  large  hillock. 

"Four  horses  were  then  brought  and  made  to  gallop  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  tomb  until  they  stood  still  with  fatigue.  A 
large  beam  of  wood  was  erected  over  the  tomb,  and  to  this  the 
horses  were  attached,  being  impaled  with  wooden  pales,  passed 
longitudinally  through  their  bodies  and  projecting  through  their 
mouths. 

"The  bodies  of  the  khan's  relatives,  whom  I  have  previously 


ANCIENT  CUSTOMS  IN  THE  SOUDAN 


337 


mentioned,  were  likewise  deposited  in  vaults,  each  with  his  weap- 
ons, and  with  the  vessels  used  in  his  house. 

"  Those  of  highest  rank  were  ten  in  number.  Over  each  of 
their  tombs  three  horses  were  impaled,  and  one  horse  over  each 
of  the  others. 

"The  day  was  one  of  public  solemnity,  and  no  one  abstained 
from  its  observance,  neither  man  nor  woman,  Moslem  nor  infidel. 
All  arrayed  themselves  in  funeral  garments — the  infidels  wearing 
white  tailasans,  and  the  Moslem  white  gowns. 

"  The  empresses,  wives  of  the  khan,  and  his  chief  followers 
remained  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  tomb  for  forty  days,  living 
in  tents.  Some  prolonged  their  stay  up  to  a  year,  and  a  market 
was  established  at  which  provisions  and  every  other  necessary 
were  sold. 

"  These  are  practices  of  the  existence  of  which  among  any 
other  people  in  these  present  times  I  have  no  personal  knowl- 
edge. 

"  The  Indian  infidels  and  the  people  of  China  burn  their  dead. 
Others  bury  them,  but  without  burying  living  men  or  women 
along  with  the  corpse. 

11  But  I  was  informed  in  the  Soudan,  by  persons  upon  whose  icord 
fall  reliance  may  be  placed,  that  among  certain  infidels  in  these  coun- 
tries, on  the  death  of  the  king,  a  vault  is  constructed  in  which  the 
corpse  is  laid,  and  along  zuith  it  a  certain  number  of  his  courtiers  and 
servants  ;  as  also  thirty  persons,  sons  and  daughters  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished men  of  the  country.  The  fore-arms  of  these  persons  are 
first  broken,  as  also  their  legs,  below  the  knees,  and  drinking -vessels 
are  deposited  with  them  in  the  tomb. 

"I  was  informed  by  a  person,  one  of  the  chief  men  of  the  Ma- 
suffahs,  who  dwelt  in  the  country  of  Koobar,  in  the  Soudan,  and 
who  was  a  favorite  with  the  sultan,  that  on  the  death  of  the  lat- 
ter the  people  wished  to  bury  my  informant's  son  in  the  tomb 
along  with  those  of  their  own  children  who  had  been  chosen  for 
the  same  purpose.  He  added:  'I  remonstrated,  saying,  "How 
can  ye  do  this?  The  lad  is  not  of  your  faith,  neither  is  he  one 
of  your  children."  'Finally,  I  ransomed  him,'  he  continued, 
'  with  a  heavy  payment.' "  .  .  .  . 

This  is  an  interesting  fact,  that  so  long  ago  as  the  year  1346 
such  a  practice  was  known  to  exist  in  Central  Africa. 

When  the  funeral  rites  of  Kamrasi  were  over,  Kabba  Rega  as- 
cended the  throne,  and  succeeded  to  all  his  father's  wives,  with 
the  exception  of  his  own  mother.  This  is  the  invariable  custom 
in  Unyoro. 


338 


ISMAIL'iA. 


The  throne  is  composed  partly  of  copper  and  of  wood.  It  is 
an  exceedingly  small  and  ancient  piece  of  furniture,  that  has  been 
handed  down  for  many  generations,  and  is  considered  to  be  a 
cojoor,  or  talisman.  There  is  also  an  ancient  drum,  which  is  con- 
sidered with  reverence,  as  something  uncanny  ;  and  the  two  arti- 
cles are  always  jealously  guarded  by  special  soldiers,  and  are  sel- 
dom used. 

Should  the  throne  be  lost  or  stolen,  the  authority  of  the  king 
would  disappear,  together  with  the  talisman,  and  disorder  would 
reign  throughout  the  country  until  the  precious  object  should  be 
restored. 


UMBOGO'S  DECLARATION. 


339 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

RESTORATION  OF  THE  LIBERATED  SLAVES. 

The  work  had  now  fairly  commenced,  and  Kabba  Rega  and 
his  chiefs  were  assured  of  a  grand  reform.  Already  the  slave- 
hunters  had  been  punished;  the  vakeel,  Suleiman,  was  secured 
in  the  stocks,  and  the  slaves  that  had  been  kidnaped  had  been 
restored  to  their  homes  in  Unyoro.  I  now  determined  to  insist 
upon  the  restoration  of  all  the  Unj^oro  slaves  that  had  been  car- 
ried away  from  this  country,  and  were  captives  in  the  zareebas 
of  Fatiko,  Fabbo,  Faloro,  and  Farragenia.  From  the  descriptions 
of  Kabba  Rega  and  his  chiefs,  I  considered  that  these  prisoners 
amounted  to  about  a  thousand  persons — women  and  children. 

Umbogo,  the  interpreter,  declared  that  Abou  Saood's  compa- 
nies would  attack  the  government  troops,  should  I  insist  upon 
the  liberation  of  the  slaves.  He  had  lived  with  these  slave-hunt- 
ers, and  he  had  frequently  heard  them  declare  that,  "  should  the 
Pasha  ever  arrive  in  this  country,  and  insist  upon  the  suppres- 
sion of  slavery,  they  would  shoot  him  rather  than  lose  their 
slaves."    I  treated  this  idea  as  an  absurdity. 

At  the  same  time  that  Kabba  Rega  and  his  people  were  eager 
for  the  restoration  of  the  numerous  women  and  children  that 
had  been  stolen  from  Unyoro,  they  were  themselves  great  slave- 
dealers. 

M'tese,  the  powerful  king  of  Uganda,  on  the  southern  frontier 
of  Unyoro,  was  in  the  habit  of  purchasing  ivory  in  that  country 
for  the  merchants  of  Zanzibar. 

These  purchases  were  made  by  an  exchange  of  slaves,  brass- 
coil  bracelets,  and  long  cotton  shirts  ;  which  were  either  of  Brit- 
ish or  Indian  manufacture,  that  had  arrived  via  Zanzibar. 

M'tese,  with  his  usual  sagacity,  did  not  permit  the  merchants 
of  that  country  to  enter  Uganda  in  force,  but  he  received  from 
them  both  slaves  and  merchandise,  which  he  sent  into  the  sur- 
rounding countries  for  the  purchase  of  ivory.  He  thus  monopo- 
lized the  trade,  and  kept  the  price  at  a  minimum. 

In  Unyoro  there  was  an  established  value  for  a  healthy  young 
girl.  Such  a  person  was  equal  to  a  single  elephant's  tusk  of  the 
first  class,  or  to  a  new  shirt.    Thus  a  girl  could  be  purchased  for 


340 


ISMAILXA. 


a  shirt,  and  she  might  be  subsequently  exchanged  for  a  large 
elephant's  tusk. 

In  the  country  of  Uganda,  where  the  natives  are  exceedingly 
clever  as  tailors  and  furriers,  needles  are  in  great  demand.  A 
handsome  girl  may  be  purchased  for  thirteen  English  needles! 
Thus  for  slave-traders  there  existed  an  excellent  opening  for 
a  profitable  business.  A  girl  might  be  bought  for  thirteen 
needles  in  Uganda,  to  be  exchanged  in  Unyoro  for  an  ele- 
phant's tusk  that  would  be  worth  twenty  or  thirty  pounds  in 
England. 

Abou  Saood's  brigands  had  been  far  too  lawless  even  for  this 
innocent  traffic,  and  in  default  of  the  merchandise  necessary  for 
such  profitable  exchanges,  they  had  found  it  more  convenient  to 
kidnap  the  young  girls,  which  saved  much  trouble  in  bargaining 
for  needles  and  shirts. 

In  every  African  tribe  that  I  have  visited,  I  found  slavery  a 
natural  institution  of  the  country.  I  had  at  length  discovered 
that  it  was  bad  policy  to  commence  a  dissertation  against  the 
slave-trade  generally ;  this  attacked  local  interests,  therefore  it 
was  more  diplomatic  to  speak  against  the  capture  of  women  and 
children  that  belonged  to  my  hearers,  but  to  avoid  a  discussion  upon 
the  moral  aspect  of  the  slave-trade. 

The  negro  idea  of  the  eighth  commandment  is  this:  "Thou 
shalt  not  steal  —  from  me;"  but  he  takes  a  liberal  view  of  the 
subject  when  the  property  belongs  to  another. 

I  had  been  rather  startled  in  the  year  of  my  arrival  at  Gondo- 
koro,  when,  during  the  voyage,  I  landed  and  conversed  with  some 
sheiks  of  the  Shir  tribe.  One  of  these  head  men  was  loud  in  his 
complaints  against  the  slave-hunters,  and  against  the  slave-trade 
in  particular,  from  which  his  tribe  had  suffered.  Many  of  the 
women  and  children  had  been  carried  off  by  a  neighboring  tribe, 
called  the  Berri,  on  the  east  of  the  Nile.  The  sheik  therefore 
proposed  that  I  should  join  him  with  my  troops,  and  capture  all 
the  women  and  children  that  belonged  to  his  enemies.  This  was 
natural  enough,  and  was  a  simple  example  of  the  revenge  that  is 
common  to  uneducated  human  nature.  The  sheik  and  I  got  on 
famously,  and  I  found  a  good  listener,  to  whom  I  preached  a 
touching  sermon  upon  the  horrors  of  the  slave-trade,  which  I  was 
resolved  to  suppress. 

The  good  man  was  evidently  touched  at  the  allusion  to  the 
forcible  separation  of  children  from  their  parents. 

"  Have  you  a  son  ?"  he  asked. 

"  My  sons  are,  unfortunately,  dead,"  I  replied. 


HOW  GIRLS  ARE  PURCHASED. 


341 


••Indeed!"  he  exclaimed.  "I  have  a  son — an  only  son.  He 
is  a  nice  boy  —  a  very  good  boy;  about  so  high  (showing  his 
length  upon  the  handle  of  his  spear).  I  should  like  you  to  see 
my  boy — he  is  very  thin  now ;  but  if  he  should  remain  with  you 
he  would  soon  get  fat.  He's  a  really  nice  boy,  and  always  hun- 
gry. You'll  be  so  fond  of  him  ;  he'll  eat  from  morning  till  night ; 
and  still  he'll  be  hungry.  You'll  like  him  amazingly  ;  he'll  give 
you  no  trouble  if  you  only  give  him  plenty  to  eat.  He'll  lie 
down  and  go  to  sleep,  and  he'll  wake  up  hungry  again.  He's  a 
good  boy,  indeed ;  and  he's  my  only  son.  Til  sell  him  to  you  for 
a  molote  (native  iron  spade)." 

The  result  of  my  sermon  on  the  slave-trade,  addressed  to  this 
affectionate  father,  was  quite  appalling.  I  was  offered  his  only 
son  in  exchange  for  a  spade!  and  this  young  nigger  knave  of 
spades  was  warranted  to  remain  always  hungry. 

I  simply  give  this  anecdote  as  it  occurred,  without  asserting 
that  such  conduct  is  the  rule.  At  the  same  time,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  among  the  White  Nile  tribes  any  number  of  male 
children  might  be  purchased  from  their  parents  —  especially  in 
seasons  of  scarcity. 

Girls  are  always  purchased,  if  required,  as  wives.  It  would  be 
quite  impossible  to  obtain  a  wife  for  love  from  any  tribe  that  I 
have  visited.  "Blessed  is  he  that  hath  his  quiver  full  of  them" 
(daughters).  A  large  family  of  girls  is  a  source  of  wealth  to  the 
father,  as  he  sells  each  daughter  for  twelve  or  fifteen  cows  to  her 
suitor.  Every  girl  is  certain  to  marry;  thus  a  dozen  daughters 
will  bring  a  fortune  of  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  cows  to 
their  parents  in  all  pastoral  countries. 

In  Unyoro  cattle  are  scarce,  and  they  belong  to  the  king: 
therefore  the  girls  are  purchased  for  various  commodities— such 
as  brass-coil  bracelets,  bark-cloths,  cotton  shirts,  ivory,  etc. 

I  was  anxious  to  establish  a  new  and  legitimate  system  of  trade 
in  this  country,  which  would  be  the  first  step  toward  a  higher 
civilization.  I  accordingly  devoted  every  energy  to  the  comple- 
tion of  the  station,  in  which  we  were  assisted  by  the  natives,  un- 
der the  direction  of  their  various  head  men. 

The  order  and  organization  of  Unyoro  were  a  great  contrast 
to  the  want  of  cohesion  of  the  northern  tribes.  Every  district 
throughout  the  country  was  governed  by  a  chief,  who  was  re- 
sponsible to  the  king  for  the  state  of  his  province.  This  system 
was  extended  to  sub-governors  and  a  series  of  lower  officials  in 
every  district,  who  were  bound  to  obey  the  orders  of  the  lord- 
lieutenant.    Thus  every  province  had  a  responsible  head,  that 

26 


342 


ISMAILlA. 


could  be  at  once  cut  off  should  disloyalty  or  other  signs  of  bad 
government  appear  in  a  certain  district. 

In  the  event  of  war,  every  governor  could  appear,  together 
with  his  contingent  of  armed  men,  at  a  short  notice. 

These  were  the  rules  of  government  that  had  been  established 
for  many  generations  throughout  Unyoro. 

The  civil  war  had  ceased,  and  Kabba  Rega  having  ascended 
the  throne,  the  country  had  again  fallen  into  the  order  that  a 
previous  good  organization  rendered  easy. 

The  various  head  men  of  the  district  now  appeared  daily,  with 
their  men  laden  with  thatch-grass  and  canes  for  the  construction 
of  the  station. 

I  commenced  a  government-house,  and  a  private  dwelling  ad- 
joining for  myself. 

On  my  first  arrival  at  Masindi,  I  had  begged  Kabba  Rega  to 
instruct  his  people  to  clear  away  about  fifty  acres  of  grass  around 
our  station,  and  to  break  up  the  ground  for  cultivation,  as  I  wish- 
ed my  troops  to  sow  and  reap  their  own  corn,  instead  of  living  at 
the  expense  of  the  natives. 

The  system,  both  in  Uganda  and  Unyoro,  is  bad  and  unjust. 

Should  visitors  arrive,  they  are  not  allowed  to  purchase  food 
from  the  people,  but  they  must  be  fed  by  the  king's  order  at  the 
cost  of  the  inhabitants.  This  generally  results  in  their  not  being 
fed  at  all,  as  the  natives  quit  the  neighborhood. 

I  had  suffered  much  from  hunger  in  Unyoro,  during  my  for- 
mer visit,  in  the  reign  of  Karnrasi;  therefore  I  wished  to  protect 
myself  against  famine  by  a  timely  cultivation  of  the  surrounding 
fertile  land,  that  was  now  covered  with  rank  grass  about  nine 
feet  high. 

In  a  military  point  of  view,  it  was  impolitic  to  sit  down  within 
a  station  encircled  by  a  dense  grass  covert,  and  although  I  had 
not  the  most  remote  suspicion  of  hostility  in  this  country,  I  pre- 
ferred a  situation  whence  we  could  enjoy  an  extensive  landscape. 

The  Albert  N'yanza  lay  distant  about  twenty  miles  on  the 
west,  in  the  deep  basin  which  characterizes  this  extraordinary 
sheet  of  water.  Immense  volumes  of  cloud  rose  in  the  early 
morning  from  the  valley  which  marked  the  course  of  the  lake,  as 
the  evaporation  from  the  great  surface  of  water  condensed  into 
mist,  when  it  rose  to  the  cooler  atmosphere  of  the  plateau  of  fif- 
teen hundred  feet  above  the  level. 

The  proposal  of  farming  did  not  appear  to  please  Kabba  Kega. 
It  was  explained  that  the  men  were  not  accustomed  to  labor  in 
the  fields,  as  all  agricultural  work  was  performed  by  the  women. 


CLEARING  THE  SOIL  FOR  GARDENS. 


343 


all  of  whom  were  now  absent  and  engaged  in  preparing  their 
own  land. 

Although  Masindi  was  a  large  town,  I  was  struck  by  the  ab- 
sence of  females.  The  only  women  that  I  saw  were  two,  one  of 
whom  was  the  pretty  wife  of  Umbogo,  the  dragoman.  It  has  al- 
ready been  explained  that  the  absence  of  women  generally  de- 
notes hostility ;  but  as  the  rainy  season  necessitated  hard  work,  I 
accepted  the  explanation. 

The  corn  for  the  supply  of  Masindi  was  brought  from  a  dis- 
tance of  two  days'  journey,  and  numbers  of  people  were  daily 
employed  in  going  to  and  fro  for  the  general  provisions  of  the 
station. 

The  slave-hunters  belonging  to  Suleiman,  who  were  now  pris- 
oners under  a  guard,  numbered  twenty-five  men.  I  employed 
these  people  daily  to  clear  away  the  high  grass,  which  was  piled 
and  burned;  the  ashes  were  then  spread,  and  the  ground  was 
hoed  up  and  thoroughly  prepared  by  the  troops. 

It  was  in  vain  that  I  urged  upon  Kabba  Re'ga  and  his  chiefs 
the  necessity  of  cultivation  for  the  supply  of  corn  requisite  for 
the  troops.  Every  day  they  promised  to  clear  away  the  grass, 
provided  the  soldiers  would  then  dig  and  prepare  the  ground. 
This  I  agreed  to  do,  but  the  natives  showed  no  intention  of 
working. 

I  began  to  suspect  that  Kabba  Eega  had  an  objection  to  a  large 
open  clearing.  The  tactics  of  all  natives  are  concealment;  if  a 
man  is  frightened,  he  hides  in  the  grass ;  in  case  of  hostilities,  the 
high  grass  is  a  fortress  to  the  negro.  It  became  evident  that  we 
were  to  remain  surrounded  by  this  dense  herbage,  which  not  only 
obstructed  the  view,  but  rendered  the  station  damp  and  dreary. 

I  explained  to  the  chiefs  the  folly  of  Kabba  Eega  in  thus  neg- 
lecting such  magnificent  soil,  which,  with  a  little  labor,  would 
produce  all  that  we  could  require,  and  would  save  both  him  and 
his  people  the  trouble  of  feeding  us.  At  the  same  time  I  set 
all  hands  of  my  own  people  to  clear  a  large  space  and  to  make 
gardens. 

Unyoro  had  always  been  a  country  of  cowardice  and  suspicion, 
and  I  could  plainly  see  that  we  were  narrowly  watched.  Kabba 
Rega  usually  sat  in  his  public  divan  from  about  2  till  4  P.M.  daily, 
to  transact  public  business.  This  large  circular  building  was  ex- 
tremely neat,  and  the  ground  was  carefully  strewed  with  the  long 
fringes  of  the  papyrus  rush,  after  the  fashion  of  our  ancestors  in 
England,  who,  before  the  introduction  of  carpets,  strewed  the  floor 
with  rushes. 


344 


ISMAILLi. 


The  young  king  informed  me  that,  as  he  wished  to  be  in  con- 
stant communication  with  me  personally,  he  should  build  a  new 
divan  within  a  few  yards  of  my  residence,  so  that  we  could  con- 
verse upon  all  occasions  without  being  watched  by  his  people. 

This  was  merely  an  excuse  for  erecting  a  building  within  fifty 
yards  of  my  house,  from  which  his  guards  could  watch  all  that 
happened,  and  report  every  thing  to  their  master. 

The  new  building  was  constructed  with  wonderful  quickness, 
and  prettily  walled  with  canes  inside  to  resemble  basket-work. 

Kabba  Kega  came  to  his  new  divan,  attended  by  a  number  of 
his  guards,  or  bonosoora,  armed  with  guns.  To  give  him  confi- 
dence, I  went  to  see  him  unattended,  except  by  Lieutenant  Baker 
and  my  ever-faithful  attendant,  Monsoor,  who  did  not  at  all  ap- 
prove of  my  going  unarmed. 

The  conversation  quickly  turned  upon  arms.  Kabba  Eega 
was  delighted  with  the  mechanism  of  Monsoor's  Snider  rifle, 
which  he  at  once  understood  and  explained  to  his  body-guard. 
He  appeared  to  have  quite  lost  his  shyness,  and  he  begged  me  to 
consider  him  simply  in  the  light  of  my  own  son,  and  to  give  him 
all  the  merchandise  at  once  that  I  had  brought  with  me  to  estab- 
lish a  new  trade. 

I  told  him  that  fathers  did  not  give  their  sons  all  their  prop- 
erty at  once;  but  that  if  I  saw  that  he  performed  his  duty  to  the 
Khedive,  he  need  not  fear.  I  had  both  the  power  and  the  good- 
will to  reward  him. 

He  continued  the  conversation  precisely  according  to  his  late 
father  Kamrasi's  style:  "I  have  no  one  but  yourself  to  regard. 
Does  not  a  father  consider  his  son?  You  were  my  father's 
friend  ;  and  I  have  always  looked  for  your  return.  I  knew  that 
Abou  Saood  was  a  liar  when  he  spoke  against  you ;  I  knew  that 
he  was  an  impostor  when  he  announced  himself  as  the  son  of  a 
sultan.  Would  the  son  of  a  sultan  only  give  me  a  present  of  an 
old  carpet  and  a  dirty  washing-basin?  I  always  said,  'Wait  till 
the  pasha  comes — Mallegge,*  my  father's  friend.  He  is  truly  a 
great  man,  who  does  not  travel  empty-handed  ;  and  he  will  bring 
me  presents  worth  my  acceptance  —  things  that  the  impostor, 
Abou  Saood,  does  not  understand  the  use  of.'  By-the-bye,  there 
was  a  magic  instrument  by  which  you  could  find  your  way  with- 
out a  guide  in  strange  countries,  that  }^ou  promised  to  send  to  my 
father;  you  have,  of  course,  brought  it  for  me?'1 


i 

*  Mallegge,  or  the  "Man  with  the  Beard,"  was  my  nickname  in  Unyoro  during 
my  former  journey. 


GUNS  AND  GUNPOWDER. 


345 


This  demand  amused  me  much,  as  I  well  remembered  how 
Kamrasi  had  bothered  me  for  my  compass.  I  pretended  that  he 
meant  a  watch,  which  I  had  already  given  him. 

At  length  I  was  obliged  to  promise  him  that  if  he  would  clear 
away  the  grass  and  cultivate  the  neighboring  ground,  I  would 
give  him  a  compass. 

I  now  explained  to  him  the  advantages  of  free  trade,  and  I 
begged  him  to  order  his  men  to  complete  the  government-house 
without  delay,  as  I  could  not  unpack  my  numerous  boxes  until  I 
had  some  place  where  I  could  exhibit  the  contents.  I  described 
the  difficulties  of  the  route  from  Khartoum,  and  the  expense  of 
transport  from  Gondokoro,  owing  to  the  unwillingness  of  the 
Baris  to  carry  loads,  and  I  explained  my  intention  of  erecting 
steamers  on  the  Nile  which  would  bring  all  kinds  of  merchandise 
to  Unyoro  via  the  Albert  N'yanza  in  exchange  for  ivory ;  thus 
the  Zanzibar  trade  would  turn  toward  the  North,  and  the  ele- 
phants' tusks  that  were  now  purchased  by  M'tese  would  remain 
in  Unyoro  until  delivered  to  the  Khedive's  government  in  barter 
for  manufactured  goods. 

The  name  of  M'tese  seemed  to  make  him  uncomfortable.  He 
replied,  "You  are  my  father,  and  you  will  stand  by  your  son 
against  his  enemies.  This  M'tese  troubles  me.  In  my  father 
Kamrasi's  lifetime  he  frequently  attacked  us,  and  carried  off  our 
herds,  together  with  our  women  and  children.  He  is  too  strong 
to  resist  single-handed,  but  now  that  you  are  here  I  shall  have 
no  fear.  Don't  let  us  talk  about  merchandise,  that  will  come  in 
due  time;  never  mind  trade;  let  us  talk  about  guns  and  gun- 
powder. You  must  give  me  muskets  and  ammunition  in  large 
quantities;  I  will  then  arm  all  my  bonosoora  (soldiers),  and  with 
your  assistance  I  will  fight  M'tese.  I  will  then  fill  your  large 
new  house  with  ivory  for  the  Khedive. 

"  There  is  no  time  to  lose ;  you  promised  to  fight  Eionga ;  my 
troops  are  all  ready;  your  men  have  nothing  to  do.  Keep  a 
few  here,  and  send  the  main  force  with  my  army  to  attack  him 
at  once  before  he  has  time  to  escape  to  the  Langgos." 

I  could  almost  have  imagined  that  I  had  been  speaking  with 
Kamrasi,  so  thoroughly  did  his  son  resemble  him  in  his  diplomacy. 

I  answered  him  with  caution,  declaring  that  I  could  not  allow 
any  reckless  acts  that  would  plunge  the  country  in  confusion. 
He  (Kabba  Rega)  had  nothing  to  fear;  but  time  was  required  to 
ripen  my  plans.  I  had  promised  that  I  would  dismiss  Suleiman 
and  his  people  from  Unyoro ;  at  the  same  time  I  should  liberate 
all  the  slaves  that  had  been  stolen  by  Abou  Saood's  companies, 


346 


ISMAILlA. 


and  restore  them  to  their  homes.  This  was  my  first  duty ;  that 
would  assure  the  natives  of  my  sincerity,  and  establish  general 
confidence  in  the  government. 

Fatiko  was  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  distant.  I  should 
therefore  send  Suleiman  and  his  people  under  an  escort  direct  to 
Major  Abdullah,  the  commandant,  with  orders  to  recover  from 
Abou  Saood  all  the  slaves  that  had  been  captured  from  Unyoro. 

Major  Abdullah  would  then  break  up  his  camp  at  Fatiko,  and 
march  in  charge  of  the  slaves  with  his  detachment  of  one  hun- 
dred men,  together  with  all  effects,  and  join  me  at  Unyoro.  He 
would,  upon  arrival  at  the  Victoria  Nile,  occupy  the  now  desert- 
ed station  of  Suleiman  at  Foweera ;  thus  he  would  be  within  a 
march  of  Kionga. 

The  old  enemy  of  the  family  (Kionga)  would  then  have  an 
opportunity  either  of  declaring  his  allegiance  and  remaining  at 
peace,  or,  should  he  become  turbulent,  a  government  force  would 
be  at  hand  to  control  him. 

I  therefore  arranged  that  Kabba  Rega  should  supply  me  with 
three  hundred  carriers,  who  would  accompany  my  escort  to  Fati- 
ko, and  transport  all  stores,  ammunition,  etc.,  etc.,  so  as  to  con- 
centrate my  force  in  Unyoro. 

This  plan  seemed  to  delight  Kabba  Rega;  he  declared  that 
the  first  step  necessary  was  the  banishment  of  Suleiman  and  his 
people  from  the  country.  The  next  move  would  be  the  attack 
upon  Rionga.  I  explained  to  him  that  it  would  be  quite  useless 
for  any  enemy  to  retreat  for  security  to  the  river  islands,  as  the 
rockets  would  search  them  out  in  the  middle  of  the  dense  canes, 
and  they  would  be  only  too  glad  to  escape ;  but  at  the  same  time 
I  should  hope  that  Rionga  would  come  to  terms,  and  avoid  the 
necessity  of  a  resort  to  force. 

That  evening,  after  we  had  dined,  and  I  was  smoking  my  cus- 
tomary chibouque,  Kabba  Rega  astonished  me  by  an  impromptu 
visit ;  he  was,  as  usual,  attended  by  some  of  his  followers  armed 
with  muskets.  He  sat  down  at  the  table,  and  having  felt  the  ta- 
ble-cloth, he  wished  to  know  "  why  the  table  was  covered ;"  he 
then  examined  the  tumblers,  and  every  thing  that  was  present, 
all  of  which  he  seemed  to  admire.  I  offered  him  some  gin-and- 
water.  This  he  smelled  but  would  not  taste,  as  he  suspected 
poison ;  accordingly  he  poured  it  into  wine-glasses,  and  divided 
it  among  three  of  his  people,  who  were  obliged  to  drink  it,  while 
their  master  watched  them  attentively,  in  expectation  of  some  ill 
effects.  His  people  rather  approved  of  the  poison,  and  asked  for 
more.    Kabba  Rega  seemed  to  think  that  a  larger  dose  was  nec- 


ENTERTAINING  KABBA  BJ0GA. 


347 


essary ;  but  as  we  could  not  afford  to  waste  Geneva  by  experi- 
ments upon  numerous  attendants,  all  of  whom  were  to  be  poi- 
soned with  our  good  liquor  for  the  amusement  of  the  king,  I  sent 
the  bottle  away  and  turned  the  subject. 

Kabba  Rega  now  minutely  examined  the  lamps  and  glass 
shades.  The  principle  was  explained  to  him,  and  the  candle  was 
withdrawn  from  the  tube  and  spring,  and  again  replaced.  He 
expressed  a  wish  to  have  one,  saying  that  he  intended  to  have 
every  thing  precisely  as  I  had. 

I  assured  him  that  this  was  my  object;  I  wished  to  create  new 
wants  among  his  people  and  himself,  which  would  tend  to  devel- 
op commerce.  He  might  have  every  thing  in  European  style, 
and  live  in  a  civilized  manner,  now  that  the  route  was  open  from 
the  north.  Ivory  was  abundant  in  this  country,  and  this  would 
provide  him  with  the  means  of  purchasing  all  that  he  could  de- 
sire. 

I  had  ordered  Monsoor  to  arrange  a  stake  in  the  ground,  with 
a  large  nail  driven  in  the  top  at  right  angles  to  form  a  rocket- 
stand.  I  now  asked  Kabba  Rega  if  he  would  like  to  see  a  rock- 
et fired. 

The  idea  delighted  him,  and  a  few  rockets  having  been 
brought,  together  with  port-fires  and  blue -lights,  we  exhibited 
the  fire -works.  There  was  no  wind;  thus  the  rockets  did  no 
damage,  as  they  were  inclined  toward  the  north,  in  which  direc- 
tion there  were  no  buildings. 

Kabba  Rega  himself  ignited  a  rocket  with  a  port-fire ;  and  al- 
though rather  nervous  at  the  great  rush  of  fire,  he  seemed  great- 
ly interested  at  the  fact  that  a  town  composed  of  straw  huts  could 
be  destroyed  from  a  great  distance  

On  the  following  morning,  Umbogo,  the  dragoman,  told  me 
that  the  natives  had  been  very  much  frightened  at  the  rockets, 
as  they  said,  u  The  pasha  was  going  to  set  the  sky  on  fire." 

The  station  was  progressing  rapidly.  The  soil  was  of  such  ex- 
traordinary richness  that  the  seeds  sprang  up  like  magic.  On 
the  third  day  after  sowing,  the  cucumbers,  melons,  pumpkins,  and 
cotton  seeds  showed  themselves  above  ground. 

I  had  made  a  broad  walk  of  red  gravel  from  Kabba  Rega's 
new  divan  to  the  government-house.  The  roads  and  approaches 
were  finished,  and  all  neatly  laid  with  fresh  gravel,  stamped  firm- 
ly down.  The  borders  of  all  paths  and  roads  were  sown  with 
the  best  quality  of  Egyptian  cotton,  known  in  Egypt  as  "gal- 
leene."  My  large  tent  was  pitched  beneath  an  immense  banyan- 
tree,  close  to  which  was  the  new  government-house.   This  grand- 


348 


ISMAILlA. 


sounding  name  was  given  to  a  very  solid  construction  of  a  most 
simple  character.  The  divan  was  a  building  containing  only  one 
room,  twenty-eight  feet  long  by  fourteen  wide,  and  about  twenty 
feet  high.  It  was  carefully  thatched  with  overhanging  eaves, 
which  formed  a  narrow  veranda,  and  it  was  entered  by  a  com- 
modious porch;  this  was  arched  in  the  native  fashion,  and  was 
so  large  that  it  formed  a  lobby,  in  which  we  sometimes  dined. 
The  inside  walls  of  the  divan  were  neatly  made  with  canes  close- 
ly lashed  together. 

There  was  a  back  door  to  this  public  room,  which  communi- 
cated with  a  separate  house  by  a  covered  way. 

This  was  our  private  residence,  which  also  consisted  of  only 
one  room ;  but  I  had  arranged  it  with  extreme  neatness,  in  or- 
der to  excite  the  admiration  of  Kabba  Kega  and  his  chiefs,  who 
would,  I  hoped,  imitate  the  manners  and  customs  of  civilized  life, 
and  thus  improve  trade. 

The  room  was  twenty-four  feet  long  by  thirteen  wide.  The 
walls  were  as  usual  made  of  canes,  but  these  were  carefully  hung 
with  scarlet  blankets,  sewed  together  and  stretched  to  the  ground, 
so  as  to  form  an  even  surface.  The  floor  was  covered  with  mats. 
Upon  the  walls  opposite  to  each  other,  so  as  to  throw  endless  re- 
flections, were  two  large  oval  mirrors  (girandoles)  in  gilt  metal 
frames.  A  photograph  of  her  Majesty  the  Queen  stood  on  the 
toilet-table. 

At  the  extreme  end  of  the  room  was  a  very  good  colored 
print,  nearly  life  size,  of  her  Eoyal  Highness  the  Princess  of 
Wales.  The  scarlet  walls  were  hung  with  large  colored  prints, 
life  size,  of  very  beautiful  women,  with  very  gorgeous  dresses, 
all  the  jewelry  being  imitated  by  pieces  of  colored  tinsel.  A 
number  of  sporting  prints,  very  large,  and  also  colored,  were  ar- 
ranged in  convenient  places  on  the  walls.  There  were  fox-hunt- 
ing scenes,  and  German  stag-hunts,  together  with  a  few  quiet 
landscapes,  that  always  recalled  the  dear  old  country  now  so  far 
away. 

The  furniture  was  simple  enough :  two  angarebs,  or  Arab 
stretchers,  which,  during  the  day,  were  covered  with  Persian  car- 
pets and  served  as  sofas,  while  at  night  they  were  arranged  as 
beds.  The  tables  were  made  of  square  metal  boxes,  piled  one 
"upon  the  other,  and  covered  with  bright  blue  cloths.  These 
were  arranged  with  all  kinds  of  odd  trinkets  of  gaudy  appear- 
ance, but  of  little  value,  which  were  intended  to  be  asked  for, 
and  given  away.  Two  native  stools,  curiously  cut  out  of  a  solid 
block,  formed  our  chairs.    The  guns  and  rifles  stood  in  a  row 


PEISONEES  MAGNANIMOUSLY  TREATED. 


349 


against  a  rack  covered  with  red  Turkey  -  cloth ;  and  a  large 
Geneva  musical  box  lay  upon  a  table  beneath  the  Princess  of 
Wales. 

Altogether  the  room  was  exceedingly  pretty.  It  would  have 
been  vulgar  if  in  England ;  but  it  was  beautifully  clean,  and  it 
shortly  became  the  wonder  of  Central  Africa. 

I  had  brought  the  large  gilt  mirrors  from  England  specially  for 
M'tese,  the  king  of  Uganda,  and  for  Karnrasi.  I  knew  that  if 
they  were  arranged  in  my  own  house,  the  news  would  be  carried 
to  M'tese  immediately ;  and  the  fact  of  so  great  a  curiosity  and 
treasure  being  on  the  road  to  him  would  at  once  open  a  commu- 
nication. 

On  May  8th,  the  prisoners  of  Suleiman's  company,  numbering 
twenty-five  persons,  came  to  the  divan,  headed  by  Ali  Genninar, 
and  supplicated  forgiveness.  They  all  declared  their  desire  to 
be  registered  on  the  government  books  as  irregular  troops. 

I  had  already  witnessed  an  example  of  their  duplicity,  there- 
fore I  had  no  confidence  in  their  professions;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  I  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  them.  The  fact  of  their 
being  in  custody  required  twenty  soldiers  to  relieve  the  necessary 
guards.  I  therefore  determined  to  be  magnanimous,  as  I  was 
only  too  happy  to  be  rid  of  such  bad  bargains  should  they  run 
away.  The  only  man  that  I  trusted  was  Ali  Genninar ;  he  was 
a  clever  and  plucky  fellow  that  I  had  known  in  my  former  Afri- 
can journey,  at  which  time  he  belonged  to  the  company  of  Ibra- 
him. 

After  a  good  lecture,  I  forgave  them,  and  they  all  received 
their  serkis  (certificates)  as  members  of  the  irregular  corps.  Ali 
Genninar  was  to  have  the  rank  of  lieutenant. 

I  told  them  that  it  was  my  intention  to  hoist  the  Ottoman  flag, 
and  to  officially  annex  the  country  in  the  presence  of  Kabba 
Eega  and  his  people;  therefore  I  did  not  wish  any  subjects  of 
the  Khedive  to  be  in  disgrace  upon  such  an  occasion,  excepting 
only  Suleiman,  who  would  be  sent  to  Cairo  on  the  first  opportu- 
nity, to  answer  for  the  murder  of  the  prisoner  at  Foweera.  I 
therefore  divided  a  few  pounds  of  beads  among  them  for  the  pur- 
chase of  new  bark-cloths,  as  I  could  not  allow  them  to  appear  in 
their  dirty  clothes  on  the  day  of  the  ceremony. 

They  all  went  away  rejoicing,  and  swearing  fidelity,  at  the 
same  time  confessing  their  sins,  and  vowing  that  I  had  treated 
them  better  than  they  had  deserved. 

As  usual,  our  proceedings  were  narrowly  watched  by  the 
guards  stationed  at  Kabba  Kega's  new  divan,  within  fifty  yards 


350 


ISMAILiA. 


of  my  house.  These  spies  immediately  ran  off  to  their  master 
with  the  report  that  I  had  forgiven  the  slave-hunters  who  were 
lately  prisoners,  and  that  I  had  actually  made  them  presents  of 
beads. 

This  report  was  quickly  confirmed,  as  the  new  and  dirty  mem- 
bers of  the  irregular  corps,  who  were  now  at  liberty,  presented 
themselves  in  the  town  with  their  hands  full  of  beads  to  purchase 
the  necessary  bark-cloths.  These  cloths  are  prepared  from  the 
bark  of  a  species  of  fig-tree  in  a  very  simple  manner,  which  I 
have  personally  witnessed. 

A  piece  of  bark  about  six  feet  long,  and  as  wide  as  possible,  is 
detached  from  the  trunk  of  the  tree.  The  outside  rind  is  pared 
off  by  a  lance -head  used  with  two  hands,  like  a  cooper's  draw- 
ing-knife. The  bark  is  then  laid  upon  a  beam  of  wood  on  the 
ground,  on  which  it  is  hammered  with  a  mallet  grooved  in  fine 
cuts,  so  that  the  repeated  blows  stamp  the  bark  with  lines  some- 
what resembling  corduroy.  This  hammering  expands  the  bark, 
which  is  repeatedly  turned  and  hammered  again,  until  at  length 
it  is  beaten  into  a  cloth  of  rather  fine  texture.  The  action  of  the 
air  colors  the  bark,  which,  although  white  when  first  stripped 
from  the  tree,  quickly  assumes  a  delicate  shade  of  brown,  as  a 
slice  of  an  apple  oxidizes  upon  exposure  in  our  own  climate. 

The  finest  cloths  are  ornamented  with  patterns  in  black.  These 
are  simply  produced  by  drawing  the  design  with  water  from  iron 
springs,  which  combining  with  the  tannin  of  the  bark  immediate- 
ly stains  it  black. 

The  sheets  of  bark-cloth  are  frequently  dyed  this  color  by  im- 
mersing them  for  a  short  time  in  springs  of  the  same  water. 

The  finest  cloths  are  produced  in  Uganda,  and  all  that  are 
used  for  royal  wear  are  brought  from  that  country  in  exchange 
for  ivory. 

My  new  men,  the  late  slave -hunters,  who  I  hoped  were 
"  wicked  men  that  had  turned  away  from  their  wickedness,"  had 
succeeded  in  purchasing  a  quantity  of  new  cloths,  ready  for  the 
day  of  annexation. 

That  night  at  about  nine  o'clock,  just  before  we  were  going  to 
bed,  we  had  remarked  an  extraordinary  stillness  in  the  town  of 
Masindi.  There  was  not  a  whisper  to  be  heard  throughout  the 
capital,  where  generally  the  night  was  passed  in  the  uproar  of 
drunken  singing  and  blowing  of  horns. 

Suddenly  this  extraordinary  silence  was  broken  by  the  deep 
notes  of  a  nogara,  or  drum.  This  sounded  for  a  second  or  two, 
and  ceased.    Again  all  was  still  as  death. 


EXTRAORDINARY  UPROAR. 


351 


A  sudden  burst  of  hellish  noise,  such  as  I  have  never  heard 
before  or  since,  now  startled  every  soldier  to  his  feet,  and  with- 
out orders  every  man  armed  and  fell  into  position. 

Colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  with  his  sword  belted  on  and  a  rifle  in 
his  hand,  came  to  me  for  orders  on  the  instant.  The  ever-ready 
Monsoor  was  armed  and  by  my  side. 

In  the  mean  time  the  din  of  very  many  thousands  continued, 
yelling  and  shrieking  as  though  maniacs ;  I  should  imagine  that 
at  least  a  thousand  drums  were  beating,  innumerable  horns  were 
blowing,  with  whistles,  fifes,  and  every  instrument  that  would 
add  to  the  horrible  uproar.  At  the  same  time  not  a  human  be- 
ing was  visible. 

Mohammed,  the  dragoman,  appeared,  together  with  Umbogo. 
In  reply  to  my  question  as  to  the  cause  of  such  a  sudden  irrup- 
tion of  noise,  Umbogo  laughed,  and  said  it  was  "  to  make  me 
afraid,  and  to  exhibit  the  great  numbers  of  people  that  were  col- 
lected at  Masindi." 

This  was  all.  I  therefore  at  once  ordered  the  band  to  play,  as 
I  determined  to  accept  the  carefully-planned  surprise  as  a  com- 
pliment that  I  would  return. 

The  band  struck  up,  the  cymbals  clashed,  the  big  drum  thun- 
dered, and  the  buglers  blew  their  loudest,  wThile  the  regimental 
drums  rattled  away  as  hard  as  the  sticks  could  roll  upon  the 
skins. 

In  a  short  time  the  noise  of  the  town  ceased,  and  the  only 
sound  was  occasioned  by  our  own  band. 

I  ordered  them  to  cease  playing.  Once  more  there  was  per- 
fect stillness. 

I  ordered  the  sentries  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout,  and  we  all 
went  to  bed. 

This  was  a  practical  joke  that  did  not  please  me,  as  it  smacked 
of  distrust  and  defiance.  It  took  place  on  the  same  day  upon 
which  I  had  liberated  the  slave- hunter's  people,  and  engaged 
them  as  irregular  troops. 

On  the  following  morning  I  sent  several  messengers  to  Kabba 
Rega  to  beg  him  to  pay  me  a  visit.  They  all  returned,  some  say- 
ing that  he  was  asleep — others,  that  he  was  drunk.  It  was  the 
habit  of  this  young  man  to  get  very  drunk  every  night,  and  to 
sleep  until  about  2  p.m.,  when  he  dressed  and  attended  at  his 
public  divan. 

I  now  heard  that  native  messengers  had  arrived  from  the 
country  of  Faieera,  which  formed  one  of  the  districts  within  nine 
miles  of  Fatiko,  under  the  charge  of  the  great  sheik,  Rot  Jarma, 


/ 


352 


ISMAILlA. 


who  had  sworn  allegiance  to  the  government,  and  was  under  the 
protection  of  Major  Abdullah. 

These  messengers  had  brought  some  guns  and  ammunition  to 
sell  to  Kabba  Eega.  They  wished  particularly  to  see  me,  as  they 
had  important  news. 

When  they  appeared  in  the  divan,  I  at  once  recognized  them 
as  people  that  I  had  seen  at  Fatiko. 

They  informed  me  that  since  my  departure  Abou  Saood  and 
his  people  had  ridiculed  the  authority  of  my  commandant,  Major 
Abdullah ;  and  to  prove  to  the  natives  how  powerless  he  was  to 
protect  them,  Abou  Saood  had  sent  his  men  to  attack  Eot  Jarma, 
and  they  had  carried  off  his  cattle  and  slaves. 

The  messengers  declared  that  both  Eot  Jarma  and  all  the  na- 
tives were  delighted  with  Major  Abdullah  and  his  troops,  as  they 
were  very  different  from  the  slave-hunters,  but  the  latter  were 
too  numerous  and  strong  for  Abdullah  to  contend  against. 

I  told  them  that  Abdullah  was  only  waiting  for  orders;  but 
if  such  was  the  state  of  things,  why  had  he  not  written  a  letter 
by  this  opportunity  ? 

The  natives  asserted  that  the  slave- hunters  of  Abou  Saood 
had  lost  five  of  their  party,  killed  in  the  attack  upon  Eot  Jarma ; 
therefore  they  (the  messengers)  were  afraid  to  go  near  the  station 
of  Major  Abdullah.  They  had  accordingly  traveled  fast  to  bring 
me  the  news  (one  hundred  and  sixty  miles);  at  the  same  time 
they  brought  the  guns  for  sale  to  Kabba  Eega. 

It  was  the  old  story  of  deception  and  rebellion.  Before  my 
face  Abou  Saood  would  cringe  to  the  earth,  but  he  became  an 
open  rebel  in  my  absence.  It  was  absolutely  necessary  to  place 
this  man  under  arrest.  When  the  Baris  were  at  open  war  with 
the  government,  he  had  not  only  associated  with  their  chief,  but 
he  had  armed  parties  of  these  natives  with  muskets,  which  he 
employed  in  his  zareebas. 

He  now  attacked,  in  defiance  of  government  protection,  those 
friendly  natives  of  Faieera  who  had  become  peaceable  subjects 
of  the  Khedive.  This  was  the  same  spirit  of  defiance  that  had 
been  exhibited  by  Suleiman  when  he  slaughtered  the  prisoner  to 
whom  I  had  granted  an  asylum. 

Unless  I  should  arrest  Abou  Saood,  it  would  be  ri'diculous 
to  attempt  the  establishment  of  a  government.  This  scoundrel 
knew  the  weakness  of  my  military  force.  He  had  himself  re- 
quested Kabba  Eega  to  attack  me  upon  my  arrival  in  his  coun- 
try. He  was  now  plundering  and  kidnaping  the  districts  that 
were  under  government  protection ;  this  would  immediately  be 


"ABE  THESE  ALL  FOB  ME  ?" 


353 


known  to  Kabba  Kega  and  his  people,  who  would  naturally  con- 
clude that  my  assurances  of  protection  were  valueless,  and  that 
Abou  Saood  was  stronger  than  the  government  of  the  Khedive. 

I  determined  to  send  orders  to  Major  Abdullah  to  arrest  Abou 
Saood  if  the  reports  were  true  concerning  Faieera;  at  the  same 
time  he  was  to  insist  upon  the  liberation  of  all  the  Unyoro  slaves, 
which  he  was  to  escort  with  his  detachment  to  Foweera  on  the 
Victoria  Nile. 

There  was  no  doubt  that  this  fellow,  Abou  Saood,  was  confi- 
dent of  support  from  some  Egyptian  authority  behind  the  scenes  ; 
he  had  therefore  determined  to  be  humble  before  my  face,  to 
avoid  being  pounced  upon  at  once,  but  to  have  his  own  way 
when  my  back  was  turned,  as  he  trusted  that,  after  the  advice  he 
had  given  to  Kabba  Kega,  I  should  never  return  from  Unyoro. 
It  would  then  be  said  that  I  had  been  killed  by  the  natives,  the 
affair  would  be  ended,  and  the  official  supporters  of  Abou  Saood 
would  reinstate  him  in  his  original  business  for  a  sufficient  con- 
sideration. 

1  made  arrangements  for  the  departure  of  my  new  irregulars. 
After  many  invitations,  I  at  length  succeeded  in  allaying  Kabba 
Rega's  apprehensions,  and  he  promised  to  pay  me  a  visit  on  May 
11th.  Lieutenant-colonel  Abd-el-Kader  went  to  meet  him,  and 
escorted  him  to  the  new  house. 

On  arrival  in  the  divan,  he  was  much  astonished  and  delighted. 
The  room,  twenty -eight  feet  by  fourteen,  was  arranged  with  dou- 
ble rows  of  metal  boxes  on  all  sides,  so  closely  packed  that  they 
formed  either  low  tables  or  seats,  as  might  be  required.  These 
were  all  covered  with  blue  blankets,  which  gave  a  neat  appear- 
ance, upon  which,  at  the  east  end  of  the  room,  were  exhibited 
samples  of  the  various  goods  that  I  had  brought  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  regular  trade  in  Unyoro.  There  were  tin  plates  as 
bright  as  mirrors,  crockery  of  various  kinds,  glasses,  knives  of 
many  varieties,  beautiful  Manchester  manufactures,  such  as  In- 
dian scarfs,  handkerchiefs,  piece-goods,  light  blue  serge,  chintzes, 
scarlet  and  blue  blankets,  blue  and  crimson  cotton  cloth,  small 
mirrors,  scissors,  razors,  watches,  clocks,  tin  whistles,  triangles, 
tambourines,  toys,  including  small  tin  steamers,  boats,  carriages, 
Japanese  spinning-tops,  horn  snakes,  pop-guns,  spherical  quick- 
silvered globes,  together  with  assortments  of  beads  of  many  va- 
rieties. 

"Are  these  all  for  me?"  asked  Kabba  Rega. 
"Certainly,"  I  replied,  "if  you  wish  to  exchange  ivory.  All 
these  things  belong  to  the  Khedive  of  Egypt,  and  any  amount 


354 


ISMAILlA. 


remains  in  the  magazines  of  Gondokoro.  These  are  simply  a 
few  curiosities  that  I  have  brought  as  an  experiment  to  prove 
the  possibility  of  establishing  a  trade." 

Among  other  things,  the  wheel  of  life  attracted  his  attention. 
This  had  frequently  been  exhibited,  but  neither  Kabba  Rega  nor 
his  chiefs  ever  tired  of  the  performance. 

The  magnetic  battery  was  now  called  for,  and  Kabba  Ruga  in- 
sisted upon  each  of  his  chiefs  submitting  to  a  shock,  although  he 
was  afraid  to  experiment  upon  himself.  He  begged  Lieutenant 
Baker,  who  managed  the  instrument,  to  give  as  powerful  a  shock 
as  he  could,  and  he  went  into  roars  of  laughter  when  he  saw  a 
favorite  minister  rolling  on  his  back  in  contortions,  without  the 
possibility  of  letting  the  cylinders  fall  from  his  grasp. 

Every  individual  of  his  head  men  had  to  suffer;  and  when  all 
had  been  operated  upon,  the  ministers  sought  outside  the  divan 
among  the  crowd  for  any  particular  friends  that  might  wish  to 
try  "the  magic." 

At  length  one  of  the  wires  of  the  instrument  gave  way,  as  a 
patient  kicked  and  rolled  frantically  upon  the  ground;  this  was 
a  good  excuse  for  closing  the  entertainment. 

Kabba  Rega  now  requested  permission  to  see  our  private  resi- 
dence. I  told  him  that  only  himself,  together  with  four  of  his 
chiefs  and  the  interpreter,  Umbogo,  would  be  permitted  to  enter. 
These  were  Rahonka  (his  maternal  uncle),  Neka  (his  uncle.,  Kam- 
rasi's  brother),  Kittakara,  and  Quonga.  On  that  occasion  the  tall 
chief,  Matonse,  endeavored  to  push  his  way  through,  but  was  im- 
mediately turned  back  by  the  sentry  and  Monsoor.* 

The  first  exclamation  upon  entering  the  room  was  one  of  sur- 
prise, "Wah!  Wah  !" — and  Kabba  Rega  and  his  chiefs  covered 
their  mouths  with  one  hand,  according  to  their  custom  when  ex- 
pressing astonishment. 

The  large  looking-glasses  were  miracles.  Kabba  Rega  discov- 
ered a  great  number  of  Kabba  Regas  in  the  endless  reflections  of 
the  two  opposite  mirrors.  This  was  a  great  wonder  that  attract- 
ed particular  attention. 

It  was  then  discovered  that  every  person  was  multiplied  in  a 
similar  manner.  This  was  of  course  "cojoor"  (magic).  It  was 
difficult  to  draw  them  away  from  the  looking-glasses,  but  at 
length  the  pictures  were  examined.  The  Queen  was  exhibited 
and  explained,  and  I  described  her  subjects  to  be  as  numerous  as 


*  This  little  incident  must  be  remembered,  as  the  man  took  a  dislike  to  Monsoor 
from  that  moment. 


THE  YOUNG  KING'S  IDEA  OF  HAPPINESS. 


355 


the  white  ants  in  Unyoro.  The  Princess  of  Wales  was  a  three- 
quarter  face ;  and  they  immediately  asked  why  she  had  only  oik; 
ear.  The  same  question  of  unity  was  asked  respecting  the  leg  of 
a  man  in  a  red  coat  on  a  white  horse. 

Every  lady's  portrait  was  minutely  examined,  but  to  our  great 
satisfaction,  that  of  the  Princess  was  declared  by  general  consent 
to  be  the  most  lovely. 

I  was  much  struck  with  this  exhibition  of  good  taste,  as  the 
other  portraits  were  pretty  faces,  but  the  hair  and  dresses  were 
gaudily  ornamented,  whereas  that  of  the  Princess  of  Wales  was 
exceedingly  simple — the  dress  being  an  evening  gown  of  white 
satin. 

I  should  have  expected  that  natives  would  have  preferred  the 
gaudy  attire,  without  bestowing  sufficient  admiration  on  the  fea- 
tures. 

Kabba  Rega  now  asked  why  the  women  in  the  various  por- 
traits all  looked  at  him ;  wherever  he  moved,  their  eyes  followed 
him. 

His  chiefs  now  discovered  that  the  faces  in  the  pictures  were 
also  looking  at  them ;  and  the  eyes  followed  them,  whether  they 
moved  to  the  right  or  left!  This  was  "cojoor,"  or  magic,  which 
at  first  made  them  feel  uncomfortable. 

One  of  my  wife's  female  servants,  Wat-el-Kerreem,  would  not 
remain  by  herself  in  this  room,  for  fear  of  "  the  eyes  that  stared 
at  her." 

Every  thing  that  we  possessed  was  now  minutely  scrutinized. 
The  guns  and  rifles,  of  various  breech-loading  mechanism,  were 
all  displayed  and  admired.  Kabba  Rega  thoughtfully  asked, 
which  of  them  I  had  intended  for  him.  His  uncle,  Rahonka, 
exclaimed,  "You  have  done  wisely  in  bringing  all  those  guns  as 
presents  for  Kabba  Rega."  My  visitors  were  quite  charmed. 
The  musical  box  played  various  delightful  airs,  and  it  was  re- 
marked that  it  would  be  more  convenient  than  an  instrument 
which  required  the  study  of  learning,  as  "you  might  set  this  go- 
ing at  night  to  play  you  to  sleep,  when  you  were  too  drunk  to 
play  an  instrument  yourself,  even  if  you  knew  how  to  do  it." 

This  was  my  young  friend  Kabba  Rega's  idea  of  happiness — 
to  go  to  sleep  drunk,  assisted  by  the  strains  of  self-playing  mel- 
ody. 

Of  course  the  large  musical  box  was  asked  for ;  and,  of  course, 
I  promised  to  give  it  as  a  present  from  the  Khedive  of  Egypt,  if 
I  found  that  Kabba  Rega  conducted  himself  properly. 

My  wife's  trinkets,  etc.,  were  now  begged  for;  but  it  was  ex- 


056 


ISMAILlA. 


plained  that  such  things  were  private  property  belonging  to  the 
Sit  (lady).  "The  Sit!  the  Sit!  the  Sit!"  the  young  cub  pee- 
vishly exclaimed;  "every  thing  that  is  worth  having  seems  to 
belong  to  the  Sit/" 

A  small  and  beautifully  made  revolver,  with  seven  chambers, 
now  attracted  his  attention.  "Does  this  also  belong  to  the  Sit?" 
inquired  Kabba  Rega.  "Yes,  that  is  the  Sit's  own  little  revolv- 
er," was  the  reply ;  at  which  the  young  king  burst  out  laugh- 
ing, saying,  "Do  women  also  carry  arms  in  your  country?  I  see 
every  thing  belongs  to  the  Sit !" 

My  wife  now  gave  him  some  of  the  finest  Venetian  beads,  of 
which  we  only  had  a  few  dozen.  These  were  much  prized.  He 
was  then  presented  with  a  handsome  gilt  bracelet,  set  with  four 
large  French  emeralds.  This  was  a  treasure  such  as  he  had  nev- 
er seen.    He  also  received  a  few  strings  of  fine  imitation  pearls. 

After  much  delay,  and  vexatious  demands  for  every  thing  that 
he  saw,  we  at  length  got  rid  of  our  visitor. 

I  had  explained  to  him  the  intended  ceremony  of  hoisting  the 
flag  in  the  name  of  the  Khedive,  and  that  the  country  would  be 
in  future  under  the  protection  of  Egypt,  but  that  he  should  re- 
main as  the  representative  of  the  government.  He  seemed  high- 
ly pleased  at  the  idea  of  protection  and  presents,  and  expressed 

himself  as  very  anxious  to  witness  the  ceremony   On 

May  14th,  1872, 1  took  formal  possession  of  Unyoro  in  the  name 
of  the  Khedive  of  Egypt. 

I  recalled  to  the  recollection  of  Kabba  Rega  and  his  chiefs  the 
day  when,  many  years  ago,  I  had  hoisted  the  British  flag,  and 
thus  I  had  turned  back  the  invading  force  of  Wat-el-Mek,  and 
saved  Unyoro.  I  now  declared  that  the  country  and  its  inhabit- 
ants would  be  protected  by  the  Ottoman  flag  in  the  same  man- 
ner that  it  had  been  shielded  by  the  union-jack  of  England. 

There  was  a  tall  flag-staff  fixed  at  the  east  end  of  the  govern- 
ment-house. 

The  bugle  sounded  the  "  taboor,"  the  troops  fell  in,  the  irregu- 
lars (late  slave-hunters)  formed  in  line  with  that  charming  irreg- 
ularity which  is  generally  met  with  in  such  rude  levies. 

Kabba  Rega  had  received  due  notice,  and  he  quickly  appeared, 
attended  by  about  a  thousand  people. 

The  band  played;  Kabba  Rega's  drums  and  horns  sounded, 
and  the  troops  formed  a  hollow  square  to  listen  to  a  short  ad- 
dress. 

Kabba  Rega  was  invited  within  the  square,  and  the  men  faced 
about  with  fixed  bayonets,  as  though  prepared  to  receive  cavalry. 


PUNISHMENT  OF  A  SOLDIER. 


357 


It  was  now  explained  to  the  young  king  that  this  formation  de- 
fended all  sides  from  attack  at  the  same  time.  He  seemed  more 
interested  in  getting  out  again  than  in  the  explanation  of  milita- 
ry tactics.  He  evidently  had  suspicions  that  he  was  fairly  en- 
trapped when  he  found  himself  in  the  middle  of  the  square. 

The  flag  was  now  hoisted  with  due  formality ;  the  usual  mili- 
tary salutes  took  place;  volleys  were  fired;  and  the  crowd  at 
length  dispersed,  leaving  the  Ottoman  flag  waving  in  a  strong- 
breeze  at  the  head  of  the  flag-staff. 

As  a  proof  of  his  satisfaction,  Kabba  Eega  immediately  sent 
me  a  present  of  twelve  goats. 

One  of  the  soldiers  had  been  caught  in  the  act  of  stealing  po- 
tatoes from  a  native.  This  having  been  proved  conclusively 
against  him,  I  sent  word  to  Kabba  Eega  to  summon  his  people 
to  witness  the  punishment  of  the  offender. 

A  great  crowd  of  natives  assembled,  and  the  thief  having  re- 
ceived punishment  in  their  presence,  was  confined  in  the  stocks, 
and  was  condemned  to  be  sent  back  to  Gondokoro.  This  strict 
discipline  had  a  strong  moral  effect  upon  my  men,  as  thefts, 
which  had  formerly  been  the  rule,  had  now  become  the  excep- 
tion.   The  natives  were  always  assured  of  justice  and  protection. 

On  May  19th  my  people  were  ready  to  start,  with  the  post 
and  the  prisoner  Suleiman,  to  Fatiko.  Kabba  Eega  declared  that 
the  three  hundred  carriers  were  in  readiness,  with  fifty  loads  of 
flour  for  the  journey ;  and  he  said  that  he  had  already  sent  or- 
ders to  Foweera  to  prepare  the  deserted  zareeba  of  Suleiman  for 
the  reception  of  Major  Abdullah  and  his  detachment  on  their 
arrival. 

The  party  was  to  consist  of  a  sergeant  and  ten  men  (regulars), 
together  with  twenty-five  irregulars  under  the  charge  of  my  old 
Cairo  dragoman,  Mohammed. 

Ali  Genninar  had  the  military  command  in  the  place  of  the 
second  vakeel,  Eddrees,  who  was  suffering  from  chronic  dysen- 
tery. I  had  arranged  that  the  party  should  start  on  the  follow- 
ing day. 

In  the  afternoon  I  had  an  interview  with  Kabba  Eega  in  his 
private  divan,  within  our  garden.  I  was  suddenly  interrupted 
by  Ali  Genninar  and  a  few  of  his  men,  who  presented  themselves 
in  the  face  of  Kabba  Eega,  to  inform  me  that  they  could  not  start 
without  their  guns ! 

It  appeared  that  on  the  day  that  Abd-el-Kader  had  ordered 
Kabba  Eega  to  disarm  the  people  of  Suleiman  upon  his  first  ar- 
rival at  Masindi,  the  young  king  had  certainly  ordered  their  dis- 

27 


358 


ISMAIL  U. 


armament,  but  he  had  himself  retained  their  arms  and  ammu- 
nition, in  addition  to  a  goat-skin  bag  with  about  three  hundred 
rounds  of  ball-cartridge.    This  had  never  been  reported  to  me. 

The  mendacious  young  king  had  the  audacity  to  deny  this,  in 
nice  of  several  witnesses ;  and  he  would  at  once  have  retired  from 
the  divan  (and  probably  I  should  never  have  seen  him  again) 
had  I  not  insisted  upon  his  remaining  until  the  affair  had  been 
thoroughly  explained. 

It  was  then  discovered  that  he  had  returned  all  the  muskets  to 
Abd-el-Kader,  except  five,  which  were  not  forthcoming. 

I  requested  him  in  future  to  adhere  more  strictly  to  the  truth, 
as  it  was  a  disgrace  for  a  man  in  his  position  to  tell  a  falsehood, 
which  would  render  it  impossible  for  me  to  place  implicit  confi- 
dence in  him ;  at  the  same  time  I  insisted  upon  the  immediate 
return  of  the  guns,  together  with  the  cartouche-belts  and  ammu- 
nition. 

The  young  rascal  retired  in  great  confusion  and  stifled  anger, 
with  a  promise  that  every  thing  should  be  restored  ! 

In  the  afternoon  he  sent  five  wretched  old  muskets  that  had 
been  injured  in  the  stocks,  and  repaired  with  the  rawhide  of  croc- 
odiles. These  had  never  belonged  to  the  irregulars ;  but  he  had 
kept  their  good  guns,  and  hoped  to  exchange  these  wretched 
weapons,  which  had  been  given  some  years  ago  to  Kamrasi  by 
the  vakeel,  Ibrahim. 

I  spoke  very  strongly  to  Kittakara,  his  favorite  minister;  and 
explained  to  him  the  folly  and  discredit  of  such  conduct. 

Kittakara  replied,  "Is  not  Kabba  Eega  your  son?  Do  you 
begrudge  him  a  few  good  guns  and  ammunition  taken  from  your 
late  enemies,  the  slave-hunters?" 

It  was  in  vain  that  I  endeavored  to  explain  that  these  people 
were  subjects  of  the  Khedive,  and  had  now  received  forgiveness; 
therefore,  as  they  were  engaged  as  irregulars,  they  must  receive 
their  arms.  Kittakara  simply  replied,  "Do  you  believe  in  these 
people?  Do  you  think  that,  because  they  have  now  enlisted 
through  fear,  they  will  ever  change  their  natures?" 

I  asked  him  if  soap  would  wash  the  black  spots  from  a  leop- 
ard's skin ;  but  I  explained  that  I  could  strip  the  skin  at  once 
off  the  leopard,  and  that  I  should  quickly  change  their  natures. 

Day  after  day  passed,  and  the  ammunition  was  only  returned 
in  driblets,  after  constant  and  most  urgent  demands. 

On  May  21st  I  sent  word  to  Kabba  Rega  (who  had  declined  to 
appear  in  public  or  private)  that,  if  he  persisted  in  this  deception, 
I  should  myself  be  compelled  to  return  to  Fatiko,  as  it  would  be 


MY  POST  STARTS  FOB  FATIKO. 


359 


impossible  for  me  to  hold  communications  with  any  person  in 
whom  I  could  place  no  confidence. 

In  the  event  of  my  departure  from  Unyoro,  he  knew  the  con- 
sequences. He  would  be  ridiculed  by  Eionga,  who  would  join 
the  slave-hunters  and  attack  him,  should  I  withdraw  my  protec- 
tion. On  the  south  he  would  be  invaded  by  M'tese,  who  would 
imagine  that  Kabba  Kega  had  prevented  me  from  visiting  him  ; 
thus  his  country  would  be  utterly  ruined. 

The  chiefs,  Neka,  Kittakara,  and  Matonse,  to  whom  I  spoke, 
appeared  thoroughly  to  comprehend  the  position. 

During  the  day  the  five  missing  guns  were  returned,  together 
with  the  goat-skin  bag  (chorab),  containing  much  of  the  missing 
ammunition,  some  of  which  had  been  abstracted. 

On  May  23d  I  sent  off  the  party  to  Fatiko,  together  with  the 
post — including  letters  to  Egypt,  Khartoum,  and  England,  to  be 
forwarded  by  first  opportunity.* 

I  wrote  to  Wat-el-Mek  to  offer  him  the  command  of  an  irregu- 
lar corps  of  four  hundred  men,  which  he  was  to  raise  immedi- 
ately from  those  companies  that  were  now  thrown  out  of  employ- 
ment by  the  termination  of  the  contract  with  Agad  k  Co. 

I  sent  written  instructions  to  Major  Abdullah  to  arrest  Abou 
Saood,  and  to  liberate  all  the  Unyoro  slaves  in  the  possession  of 
his  people.  He  was  then  to  forward  Abou  Saood,  together  with 
Suleiman,  as  prisoners,  to  the  care  of  Kaouf  Bey  at  Gondokoro, 
and  to  march  himself  with  his  detachment  and  all  effects,  to- 
gether with  the  liberated  slaves,  to  Foweera. 

Three  hundred  natives  accompanied  my  party  from  Unyoro 
to  transport  the  baggage  of  Major  Abdullah. 

I  had  not  seen  Kabba  Rega  since  the  day  when  he  had  lied 
concerning  the  possession  of  the  muskets  and  ammunition ; 
whether  from  shame  or  anger  I  could  not  tell,  but  he  declined 
to  appear. 

The  party  started  with  the  post;  thus  reducing  my  force  by 
the  departure  of  thirtj^-six  men,  including  eleven  regulars  and 
twenty-five  of  the  new  irregular  levy. 

I  was  now  left  with  one  hundred  regulars,  four  sailors,  and  four 
armed  Baris. 


*  These  never  arrived  in  England. 


360 


ISMAlLlA. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

ESTABLISH  COMMERCE. 

For  some  time  past  the  natives  had  commenced  a  brisk  trade 
with  ivory  in  exchange  for  all  kinds  of  trifles,  which  left  a  mini- 
mum profit  for  the  government  of  fifteen  hundred  per  cent.  A 
few  beads,  together  with  three  or  four  gaudy-colored  cotton  hand- 
kerchiefs, a  zinc  mirror,  and  a  four-penny  butcher's  knife,  would 
purchase  a  tusk  worth  twenty  or  thirty  pounds.  I  calculated  all 
the  expenses  of  transport  from  England,  together  with  interest  on 
capital.  In  some  cases  we  purchased  ivory  at  two  thousand  per 
cent,  profit,  and  both  sellers  and  buyers  felt  perfectly  contented. 

I  am  not  sure  whether  this  is  considered  a  decent  return  for  an 
investment  of  capital  among  the  descendants  of  Israel ;  but  I  am 
convinced  that  at  the  conclusion  of  a  purchase  in  Unyoro  each 
party  to  the  bargain  thought  that  he  had  the  best  of  it.  This 
was  the  perfection  of  business. 

Here  was  free  trade  thoroughly  established ;  the  future  was 
tinged  with  a  golden  hue.  Ivory  would  be  almost  inexhaustible, 
as  it  would  flow  from  both  east  and  west  to  the  market  where 
such  luxuries  as  two-penny  mirrors,  four-penny  knives,  four-pen- 
ny handkerchiefs,  ear-rings  at  a  penny  a  pair,  finger  signet-rings 
at  a  shilling  a  dozen,  could  be  obtained  for  such  comparatively 
useless  lumber  as  elephants'  tusks. 

Manchester  goods  would  quickly  supersede  the  bark -cloths, 
which  were  worn  out  in  a  month,  and  in  a  few  years  every  na- 
tive of  Unyoro  would  be  able  to  appear  in  durable  European 
clothes.  Every  man  would  be  able  to  provide  himself  with  a 
comfortable  blanket  for  the  chilly  nights,  and  an  important  trade 
would  be  opened  that  would  tend  to  the  development  of  the 
country,  and  be  the  first  step  toward  a  future  civilization.  Un- 
fortunately for  this  golden  vision,  the  young  king,  Kabba  Rega, 
considered  that  he  had  a  right  to  benefit  himself  exclusively,  by 
monopolizing  the  trade  with  the  government.  He  therefore  gave 
orders  to  his  people  that  all  ivory  should  be  brought  to  him ;  and 
he  strictly  prohibited,  on  pain  of  death,  the  free  trade  that  I  had 
endeavored  to  establish. 

The  tusks  ceased  to  arrive;  or,  if  any  individual  was  sufficient- 


AllRANGE  TO  ESTABLISH  A  SCHOOL. 


361 


ly  audacious  to  run  the  risk  of  detection,  he  sent  word  before- 
hand, by  Monsoor  (who  was  known  to  be  confidential),  that  he 
would  bring  a  tusk  for  sale  during  the  darkness  of  night. 

This  was  a  troublesome  affair.  Annexation  is  alwaj^s  a  diffi- 
cult question  of  absolute  right,  but,  as  I  trust  my  readers  will  ac- 
knowledge, I  had  done  all  that  lay  in  my  power  for  the  real  bene- 
fit of  the  country.  I  had  to  make  allowances  for  the  young  king, 
who  now  had  become  a  vassal,  and  I  determined  to  observe  the 
extreme  of  moderation. 

It  was  generally  acknowledged  that  the  conduct  of  the  troops 
was  most  exemplary.  No  thefts  had  been  allowed,  nor  even 
those  trifling  annexations  of  property  which  are  distinguished 
from  stealing  by  the  innocent  name  of  "cribbing."  Not  a  garden 
had  been  disturbed ;  the  tempting  tobacco  plantations  had  been 
rigidly  respected,  and  the  natives  could  only  regard  my  troops  as 
the  perfection  of  police.  They  were  almost  as  good  as  London 
police  —  there  were  no  areas  to  the  houses,  neither  insinuating 
cooks  or  house-maids,  nor  even  nurse-maids  with  babies  in  peram- 
bulators, to  distract  their  attention  from  their  municipal  duties. 

Among  my  men  there  was  an  excellent  young  man,  named 
Ramadan,  who  was  the  clerk  of  the  detachment.  This  intelligent 
young  fellow  was  a  general  favorite  among  our  own  men,  and 
also  among  the  natives.  He  had  a  great  aptitude  for  languages, 
and  he  quickly  mastered  sufficient  of  the  Unyoro  to  make  him- 
self understood  by  the  natives. 

I  arranged  that  Ramadan  should  become  the  school-master,  as 
it  would  be  useless  to  establish  commerce  as  a  civilizing  medium 
without  in  some  way  commencing  a  system  of  education. 

Ramadan  was  proud  at  the  idea  of  being  selected  for  this  ap- 
pointment. 

There  was  a  son  of  Kittakara's,  of  about  nine  years  old,  named 
Cherri-Merri.  This  nice  little  boy  had  paid  us  many  visits,  and 
had  become  a  great  favorite  of  my  wife's.  He  usually  arrived 
after  breakfast,  and  was  generally  to  be  found  sitting  on  a  mat 
at  her  feet,  playing  with  some  European  toys  that  were  his  great 
delight,  and  gaining  instruction  by  conversation  through  the  in- 
terpreter. 

Although  Cherri-Merri  was  a  good  boy,  he  possessed  the  pure- 
ly commercial  instinct  of  Unyoro.  He  seldom  arrived  without  a 
slave  attendant,  who  carried  on  his  head  a  package  of  something 
that  was  to  be  sold. 

He  was  told  that  it  was  bad  taste  to  bring  articles  for  sale  to 
people  who  had  shown  him  kindness;  at  the  same  time  no  pres- 


362 


ISMAILlA. 


ents  would  be  received.  The  little  trader  quickly  relieved  him- 
self of  this  difficulty  by  marching  off  with  his  slave  and  package 
to  the  soldiers'  camp,  where  he  exchanged  his  flour  or  tobacco 
for  metal  buttons,  which  they  cut  off  their  uniforms,  or  for  beads, 
or  other  trifles  which  they  possessed. 

Cherri-Merri  was  a  general  favorite,  and  he  was  to  form  the 
nucleus  for  the  commencement  of  a  school. 

The  station  was  now  in  perfect  order.  Altogether,  including 
the  soldiers'  gardens,  about  three  acres  had  been  cleared  and 
planted.  Every  thing  was  well  above-ground,  and  was  growing 
with  that  rapidity  which  can  only  be  understood  by  those  who 
have  witnessed  the  vegetation  of  the  tropics  on  the  richest  soil. 
English  cucumbers,  varieties  of  melons,  pumpkins,  tomatoes, 
Egyptian  radishes,  onions,  Egyptian  cotton,  etc.,  were  all  flourish- 
ing.   Also  a  small  quantity  of  wheat. 

Every  cottage  was  surrounded  by  a  garden ;  the  boys  had 
formed  partnerships,  and,  having  been  provided  with  seeds,  they 
had  beds  of  pumpkins  already  nearly  a  foot  above  the  ground. 

The  girls  and  women-servants  were  as  usual  extremely  indus- 
trious; they  also  had  formed  little  companies,  and  the  merits  of 
the  rival  gardens  were  often  warmly  discussed. 

Three  acres  of  land,  thus  carefully  cultivated,  made  a  very  civ- 
ilized appearance.  The  cucumber-plants  had  grown  wonderful- 
ly, and  had  already  formed  fruit.  Not  a  leaf  was  withered  or  at- 
tacked by  insects,  and  both  the  soil  and  climate  of  Masindi  were 
perfection  for  agricultural  experiments.  The  thermometer  gen- 
erally stood  at  62°  at  6  a.m.,  and  at  78°  at  noon.  The  air  was 
always  fresh  and  invigorating,  as  the  altitude  above  the  sea-level 
was  nearly  four  thousand  feet. 

An  industrious  population  would  have  made  a  paradise  of  this 
country,  but  the  Unyoro  people  are  the  laziest  that  I  have  ever 
seen.  The  days  were  passed  either  in  sleep,  or  by  the  assembty 
of  large  crowds  of  idlers,  who  stood  at  the  entrance  of  the  broad, 
graveled  approach,  and  simply  watched  our  proceedings. 

The  only  excitement  was  produced  by  the  sudden  rush  of 
Kabba  Eega's  guards  (bonosoora)  with  big  sticks  among  the 
crowd,  whom  they  belabored  and  chased,  generally  possessing 
themselves  of  the  best  garments  of  those  who  were  captured, 
with  which  they  returned  to  their  quarters  as  lawful  prizes. 

This  daring  system  of  thieving  was  considered  as  great  fun  by 
all  those  members  of  the  crowd  who  had  escaped;  and  the  un- 
fortunates who  had  been  reduced  to  nudity  by  the  loss  of  their 
garments  were  jeered  and  ridiculed  by  the  mob  with  true  Unyoro 


NIGHTLY  MURDERS  AT  MASINDI. 


363 


want  of  charity.  These  bonosoora  were  an  extraordinary  collec- 
tion of  scoundrels. 

The  readers  of  "The  Albert  N'yanza"  may  remember  the 
"  Satanic  Escort,"  with  which  I  was  furnished  by  Kamrasi  for 
my  journey  from  M'rooli  to  the  lake ;  these  were  bonosoora.  I 
could  never  learn  the  exact  number  that  formed  Kabba  Eega's 
celebrated  regiment  of  blackguards,  but  I  should  imagine  there 
were  above  one  thousand  men  who  constantly  surrounded  him, 
and  gained  their  living  by  pillaging  others. 

Any  slave  who  ran  away  from  his  master  might  find  an  asy- 
lum if  he  volunteered  to  enlist  in  the  bonosoora.  Every  man 
who  had  committed  some  crime,  or  who  could  not  pay  his  debts, 
could  find  a  refuge  by  devoting  himself  to  the  personal  care 
of  the  young  king,  and  enrolling  within  the  ranks  of  the  royal 
guards.  The  general  character  of  these  ruffians  may  be  easily 
imagined.  They  lounged  away  their  time,  and  simply  relieved 
the  monotony  of  their  existence  by  robbing  passers-by  of  any 
thing  that  attracted  their  cupidity. 

Umbogo  belonged  to  this  celebrated  corps,  and  he  informed 
me  that  hardly  a  night  passed  without  some  person  being  mur- 
dered by  these  people,  who  would  always  kill  a  man  after  dark, 
unless  he  yielded  up  his  property  without  resistance.  The  great 
number  of  vultures  that  continually  hovered  over  Masindi  were 
proofs  of  Umbogo's  story,  as  these  birds  generally  denote  the 
presence  of  carrion.  My  men  had  on  several  occasions  found 
bodies  lying  in  the  high  grass  neatly  picked  to  the  bone,  which 
had  only  recently  died. 

There  was  much  to  be  done  before  the  brutal  customs  of 
Unyoro  could  be  reformed ;  and  I  was  by  no  means  satisfied 
with  the  conduct  exhibited  by  Kabba  Kega.  He  had  promised 
faithfully  that  he  would  send  a  large  force  to  clear  away  the  high 
grass  by  which  our  station  was  surrounded;  this  was  never  ful- 
filled, neither  could  I  engage  the  natives  to  work  for  hire. 

I  had  observed  for  some  time  past  that  his  people  were  rap- 
idly extending  the  town  of  Masindi,  by  erecting  new  buildings 
upon  both  our  flanks,  which,  although  only  a  few  yards  from  our 
clearing,  were  half  obscured  by  the  high  grass;  thus  it  appeared 
that  we  were  being  gradually  surrounded. 

Since  the  departure  of  the  post  with  my  escort  and  the  irregu- 
lar levy,  nothing  was  done  by  the  natives  except  the  usual  loun- 
ging by  day,  and  drinking  and  howling,  with  drums  and  horns 
as  an  accompaniment,  throughout  the  night. 

Kabba  Kega  had  always  declared  that  the  natives  would  work 


364 


J  s  MAILT  J. 


for  me  and  obey  every  order  when  the  slave-hunters  should  have 
been  expelled  from  the  country.  Although  the  people  who  were 
lately  a  portion  of  the  slave-hunter's  company  had  now  been  en- 
listed in  the  service  of  government,  not  one  man  remained  in 
Masindi,  as  I  had  sent  them  all  away  to  Fatiko,  at  the  particular 
request  of  Kabba  Rega. 

The  real  fact  was,  that  so  long  as  the  slave-trader's  people  were 
in  the  country,  both  the  king  and  his  people  knew  that  we  were 
independent  of  native  guides,  as  Suleiman's  men  knew  all  the 
paths,  from  their  long  experience  of  the  country  when  engaged 
in  the  civil  wars.  It  was  considered  that,  in  the  absence  of  the 
new  levy  of  irregulars,  we  should  be  perfectly  helpless  to  move, 
as  we  were  dependent  upon  Kabba  Rega  for  guides. 

From  the  general  conduct  of  the  people  since  the  departure  of 
my  party  with  the  post  to  Fatiko,  I  had  a  strong  suspicion  that 
some  foul  play  was  intended,  and  that,  when  the  three  hundred 
native  carriers  should  have  taken  the  people  across  the  Victoria 
Nile,  they  would  desert  them  in  the  night,  and  return  with  the 
boats.  I  therefore  wrote  a  letter  addressed  to  the  second  vakeel, 
Eddrees,  ordering  him  to  return  at  once  to  Masindi  with  the  en- 
tire party  if  he  had  any  suspicion  of  treachery. 

I  concealed  this  note  in  a  packet  of  blue  cloth,  together  with  a 
few  little  presents  for  Shooli  and  Gimoro,  at  Fatiko ;  but  I  had 
written  on  the  brown-paper  cover  of  the  parcel  instructions  that 
Eddrees  or  Mohammed,  the  dragoman,  should  search  the  contents, 
as  a  letter  was  hidden  within.  I  gave  this  packet  to  Umbogo, 
telling  him  that  it  was  a  present  for  Shooli,  and  begging  him  to 
dispatch  a  messenger  without  delay  to  overtake  the  party  before 
they  should  have  crossed  the  Victoria  Nile.  The  native  messen- 
ger, to  whom  I  gave  a  small  gratuity,  immediately  started ;  thus 
I  should  be  able  to  forewarn  my  people  in  the  event  of  trouble. 

In  the  afternoon  Kabba  Rega  sent  for  me  to  repair  the  small 
musical  box  that  I  had  given  him,  which  was  slightly  deranged. 
I  replied  that,  until  he  fulfilled  his  promise  of  clearing  the  high 
grass  from  the  neighborhood,  I  could  not  think  of  attending  to 
any  request,  as  he  had  broken  all  his  promises. 

In  half  an  hour  after  this  answer  he  sent  forty  men,  under 
Kittakara,  to  commence  the  clearing,  as  he  was  in  despair  about 
his  musical  box. 

Two  native  merchants  from  the  distant  country  of  Karagwe, 
who  had  been  sent  by  their  king,  Rumanika,  to  purchase  ivory 
from  Unyoro,  had  arrived  at  Masindi.  These  people  were 
brought  to  me  on  May  26th,  accompanied  by  Kittakara,  together 


CROSS- QUESTIONS  ABOUT  LIVINGSTONE. 


365 


with  Umbogo,  the  interpreter.  I  observed  that  Kittakara  was 
acting  the  part  of  spy,  to  overhear  and  to  report  the  substance 
of  the  conversation.  Some  excitement  had  been  caused  by  the 
report  that  two  travelers  were  residing  with  Eumanika,  and  that 
these  people  had  arrived  from  the  M'wootan  N'zige.  I  was  in 
hopes  that  one  of  these  travelers  might  be  Livingstone. 

The  Karagwe  merchants  were  well  dressed,  and  very  civilized- 
looking  people.  They  stared  upon  arrival  in  the  divan,  and 
were  shortly  seated  upon  a  mat  before  me. 

After  some  conversation,  I  questioned  them  concerning  the 
travelers,  and  I  immediately  wrote  both  questions  and  replies  in 
my  journal,  which  I  now  give  verbatim. 

Question.  "Have  you  personally  seen  the  travelers?" 

Answer.  "Yes;  one  is  tall,  with  a  long  beard  and  white  hair. 
The  other  is  a  very  black  man  (an  African),  and  short." 

Question.  " How  do  they  eat?" 

Answer.  "  With  a  knife  and  fork  and  plate." 

Question.  "Have  they  a  compass?"  (compass  exhibited). 

Answer.  "  No ;  but  they  have  a  small  mirror  like  those  in  your 
possession." 

Question.  "Do  they  purchase  ivory?" 

Answer.  "Yes.  We  are  now  sent  by  Eumanika  to  buy  ivory 
for  them." 

Question.  "  Have  they  a  large  quantity  ?" 

Answer.  "An  immense  quantity.  They  have  a  large  house, 
which  is  quite  full." 

Question.  "How  will  they  transport  it?" 

Answer.  "They  are  building  a  vessel  of  iron  on  the  M'wootan 
N'zige,  upon  the  borders  of  which  they  are  now  staying." 

Question.  "Do  they  know  that  I  am  commanding  this  expedi- 
tion ?" 

Answer.  "Yes;  they  have  frequently  asked  whether  you  had 
arrived,  and  they  wish  to  go  to  Khartoum." 

"There  is  no  trace  of  poor  Livingstone  in  their  description. 
I  imagine  that  some  enterprising  Portuguese  trader  is  building 
a  ship  to  trade  upon  the  M'wootan  N'zige.  God  help  him,  if  he 
tries  to  transport  his  ivory  by  this  route. 

"I  shall  write  to  Livingstone  by  the  first  opportunity.  Like 
all  other  of  my  informants,  these  native  merchants  told  me  that 
the  M'wootan  N'zige  extended  to  Karagwe,  after  a  long  turn  to 
the  west.  It  varied  much  in  width,  and  at  Karagwe  it  was  nar- 
row." 

For  some  days  I  had  conversations  with  these  intelligent  peo- 


366 


ISMAILlA. 


pie.  They  brought  me  two  elephants'  tusks  to  sell,  as  they  wish- 
ed to  show  Eumanika  the  quality  of  goods  that  were  now  intro- 
duced from  the  north.  I  made  them  a  few  presents,  after  the 
bargain,  to  create  a  favorable  impression,  and  I  once  more  cross- 
examined  them  upon  geographical  questions. 

Their  description  of  the  east  shore  of  the  M'wootan  N'zige 
was  as  follows: 

"South  of  Unyoro  is  a  country — Kabboyu; 
"       Kabboyu         "  Tambooki; 
Tambooki        "  M'Pororo; 
M'Pororo        "  Ruanda; 
"       Ruanda  "  Baroondi; 

"       Baroondi         "  Chibbogora; 
"       Chibbogora      "  Watuta; 
"       Watuta  "  Machoonda. 

"Beyond  the  Machoonda  they  knew  nothing,  except  that  the 
lake  extends  for  an  enormous  and  unknown  distance. 

"  On  the  west  shore,  opposite  Kabboyu  and  Tambooki,  is  situ- 
ated the  cannibal  country  of  Booamba. 

u  rp^e  route  to  Karagwe  from  Masindi,  via  the  M'wootan  N'zige 
(Albert  N'yanza),  is :  take  boat  from  Chibero  (a  day's  long  march 
from  Masindi)  to  M'Pororo,  at  which  spot  you  leave  the  boat,  and 
proceed  overland  in  one  day  to  the  Karagwe  frontier. 

"The  Kittangule  river  passes  through  M'Pororo,  N'Kole,  and 
Kishakka,  and,  after  a  very  winding  course,  it  cuts  through  Ka- 
ragwe, and  falls  into  the  Victoria  N'yanza. 

"  £  Baroondi '  must  be  Speke's  '  Urundi ;'  as  I  find  that  many 
names  that  he  has  prefixed  with  1  U'  are  here  pronounced  as  '  B.' 

"  By  Speke's  map  Urundi  is  in  about  3°  S.  lat.  The  M'wootan 
N'zige  is  therefore  known  to  pass  through  Ruanda,  Baroondi,  and 
the  Watuta — or  beyond  the  north  end  of  the  Tanganyika  lake. 

"This  looks  as  though  the  Tanganyika  and  the  M'wootan 
N'zige  were  only  one  vast  lake  bearing  different  names,  according 
to  the  localities  through  which  it  passes." 

I  have  extracted  this  from  my  journal,  as  it  was  written  at  the 
moment  that  the  information  was  given.  I  have  no  theory,  as 
I  do  not  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  geographical  theories;  but  I 
shall  give  my  information  in  the  same  words  in  which  I  received 
it  from  the  natives.  Speculative  geographers  may  then  form 
their  own  opinions. 

From  the  day  when  Kabba  Rega  had  denied  the  possession  of 
the  guns  and  ammunition  belonging  to  the  irregular  levy,  he  had 
never  appeared  at  his  new  divan,  neither  had  I  seen  him. 


DIFFICULTY  IN  OBTAINING  FOOD.  367 

Upon  many  occasions  I  had  sent  to  request  his  attendance; 
but  he  was  always  in  the  sanctuary  of  his  own  private  house,  or 
rather  establishment  of  houses.  These  were  a  series  of  enormous 
bee-hive-shaped  straw  and  cane  dwellings  in  a  court-yard  of 
about  an  acre,  surrounded  by  a  fence,  and  guarded  by  many  sen- 
tries, each  of  whom  had  a  small  hut  built  in  the  middle  of  the 
fence. 

Since  the  departure  of  the  irregular  levy,  I  had  noticed  a  de- 
cided change  in  the  demeanor  of  the  chiefs.  Kittakara,  who  had 
been  our  greatest  friend,  could  never  look  me  in  the  face,  but  al- 
ways cast  his  eyes  upon  the  ground  when  speaking  or  listening. 

The  food  for  the  troops  was  obtained  with  the  greatest  difficul- 
ty, after  constant  worry  and  (endless  applications.  It  was  in  vain 
that  I  insisted  upon  the  right  of  paying  for  a  supply  of  corn  ;  the 
chiefs  replied,  "Is  not  Kabba  Rega  your  son?  Can  a  son  sell 
corn  to  his  own  father?" 

At  the  same  time  we  never  had  two  days'  provisions  in  store, 
and  we  were  simply  living  from  hand  to  mouth.  This  looked 
suspicious,  as  though  the  troops  were  to  be  rendered  helpless  by 
the  absence  of  supplies,  in  the  event  of  hostilities. 

My  few  Baris  consisted  of  my  good  interpreter,  Morgian,  to- 
gether with  three  other  natives,  who  had  been  for  some  }^ears  in 
the  employ  of  Suleiman.  I  had  kept  these  people  with  me,  as 
they  knew  something  about  the  country  and  the  Unyoros.  They 
were  all  armed,  and  were  tolerably  good  shots.  One  of  these  fel- 
lows (Molodi),  a  native  of  the  Madi  country,  was  extremely  use- 
ful and  intelligent.  He  now  told  me  that  I  could  never  depend 
upon  Kabba  Rega,  and  that  he  had  simply  begged  me  to  send 
the  irregulars  out  of  the  country  in  order  that  I  should  not  hear 
the  truth  of  his  former  conduct  from  them  ;  also,  in  their  absence, 
I  should  be  quite  ignorant  of  the  paths,  that  were  now  complete- 
ly overgrown  with  immensely  high  grass  throughout  the  country. 

An  incident  occurred  on  May  31st  which  caused  me  serious 
anxiety. 

The  station  was  in  complete  order;  the  cultivation  was  thriv- 
ing, and  the  general  appearance  of  the  government  settlement 
was  a  strong  contrast  to  the  surrounding  wilderness  of  high  grass, 
and  the  large  and  dirty  town  of  Masindi. 

My  troops  were  now  without  occupation,  therefore  I  instructed 
Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  to  drill  them  every  morning. 

It  had  been  the  daily  practice  of  the  band  to  march  up  and 
down  the  broad  approach,  and  to  perform  nearly  opposite  Kabba 
Rega's  public  divan. 


ISMAILlA. 


There  was  no  clear  place  in  which  the  troops  could  be  drilled 
except  in  the  public  square  at  the  back  of  Kabba  Rega's  divan ; 
this  was  about  the  centre  of  the  town. 

The  square  was  an  open  space  of  about  two  acres,  and  was  the 
spot  at  which  all  public  festivities  were  held,  and  where,  upon 
many  occasions,  Kabba  Rega  delighted  to  sit,  in  a  large  open 
shed,  to  witness  the  absurd  performance  of  his  buffoons. 

This  open  space  was  well  adapted  for  the  exercise  of  a  com- 
pany of  troops.  I  therefore  ordered  the  men  on  parade,  and  I 
accompanied  them  myself,  together  with  Lieutenant  Baker. 

The  band  played,  as  usual,  at  the  head  of  the  company,  and 
we  marched  through  the  town  to  the  open  square. 

Here  the  troops  were  put  through  their  musketry  drill,  and 
commenced  various  evolutions. 

To  my  astonishment,  I  saw  the  natives  hurrying  off  in  all  di- 
rections. I  was  perfectly  unarmed,  as  were  also  the  officers  (ex- 
cepting their  side-arms)  and  Lieutenant  Baker. 

Almost  immediately  the  huge  war-drum  sounded  in  the  house 
of  Kabba  Rega,  and  the  dull  hollow  notes  continued  to  beat  the 
alarm ! 

In  less  than  ten  minutes,  horns  were  blowing  and  drums  were 
beating  in  all  directions;  and  with  extraordinary  rapidity  some 
five  or  six  thousand  men  came  pouring  down  from  every  quar- 
ter, fully  armed  with  spears  and  shields,  in  a  state  of  frantic  ex- 
citement, and  at  once  surrounded  the  troops.  Fresh  bands  of  na- 
tives, all  of  whom  were  in  their  costume  of  war,  continued  to  con- 
centrate from  every  side.  The  crowd  of  warriors  leaped  and  ges- 
ticulated around  my  little  company  of  men  as  though  about  to 
attack. 

I  immediately  gave  the  order  to  form  a  square  with  fixed  bay- 
onets.   This  manoeuvre  puzzled  the  natives  extremely. 

They  danced  around  the  square  within  a  few  feet  of  the  glis- 
tening row  of  bayonet-points,  which  were  lowered  so  as  to  form 
an  impenetrable  fence. 

The  officers  were  of  course  inside  the  square.  I  gave  the  men 
strict  orders  not  to  fire  under  any  provocation,  unless  I  gave  the 
word  of  command ;  and  attended  by  Lieutenant  Baker  and  Mon- 
soor,  the  latter  with  his  sword  drawn,  I  left  the  square,  and  walked 
into  the  middle  of  the  crowd,  toward  the  three  chiefs,  Rahonka, 
Kittakara,  and  Matonse,  who  were  all  standing  with  lances  in 
their  hands,  and  apparently  prepared  for  action. 

Although  the  situation  was  full  of  meaning,  I  thought  the  best 
policy  was  to  appear  amused.    At  this  moment  Monsoor  struck 


THREATENING  SITUATION. 


3G9 


up  with  his  sword  a  lance  which  one  of  the  frantic  warriors,  in 
the  midst  of  his  wild  gesticulations,  had  advanced  within  a  few 
inches  of  my  back. 

The  interpreters  (many  of  whom  I  knew  well)  were  all  armed 
with  muskets,  and  the  bonosoora  were  dressed  in  their  usual  fan- 
tastic manner  when  prepared  for  war;  a  considerable  number 
were  provided  with  guns. 

The  slightest  accident  would  have  caused  a  general  outbreak 
of  hostilities.  I  had  eighty  men  on  the  ground ;  the  remainder 
of  the  force  were  at  the  station,  about  three  hundred  yards  dis- 
tant, where  Lady  Baker,  and  all  stores  and  ammunition,  would 
have  been  in  extreme  danger,  had  an  attack  become  general. 

I  at  once  walked  up  to  Rahonka  and  Kittakara,  and  calling  an 
interpreter  named  Kadji-Barri,  who  was  standing  near  them, 
dressed  in  Arab  clothes,  with  his  musket  in  his  hand,  and  his 
cartouche-belt  on  his  waist,  I  burst  out  laughing,  and  exclaimed, 
"Well  done,  Kadji-Barri!  this  is  famously  managed;  let  us  have 
a  general  dance.  Ask  Kittakara  if  my  band  shall  play,  or  will 
yoU  dance  to  your  own  music?" 

This  was  immediately  translated  to  the  chiefs,  and  my  de- 
meanor seemed  to  cause  some  hesitation.  I  at  once  ordered  our 
band  to  strike  up. 

The  instant  that  a  well-known  lively  air  commenced,  I  begged 
them  to  exhibit  some  native  dance  to  amuse  us.  Seeing  their 
hesitation,  I  inquired  whether  they  would  wish  to  see  my  men 
perform?  After  a  few  words  between  Kittakara  and  Rahonka, 
the  former  agreed  that  it  would  be  better  for  my  men  to  com- 
mence the  dance  first. 

I  lost  no  time  in  explaining  to  Kittakara  that  he  must  at  once 
address  the  crowd,  and  assure  them  that  the  performance  about 
to  commence  was  intended  for  their  amusement,  and  there  was 
no  cause  for  fear.  At  the  same  time  I  begged  him  to  order  the 
crowd  to  stand  back  and  to  afford  space  for  my  troops,  who  were 
about  to  advance  with  the  bayonet. 

In  a  loud  voice  Kittakara  gave  the  necessary  explanation. 

I  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  advance,  and  the  whole  band 
sounded  the  charge  with  the  bayonet  (sinjare  doran). 

At  the  inspiriting  call,  each  side  of  the  square  advanced  at  the 
double  with  bayonets  at  the  charge.  The  crowd,  lately  so  de- 
monstrative, fell  quickly  back,  and,  having  thus  cleared  the 
square,  I  told  Kittakara  to  order  every  individual  of  the  crowd 
to  sit  down  upon  the  ground. 

The  great  mass  of  people  obeyed  the  order  with  the  discipline 


370 


ISMAILTA. 


of  soldiers,  and  my  troops  fell  back  and  reformed  their  square  as 
before.  The  little  square,  with  a  single  line  of  front  of  twenty 
men,  now  occupied  the  centre  of  the  clear  space. 

I  lost  no  time  in  inquiring  for  Kabba  Rega,  whom  I  insisted 
upon  seeing.  After  a  short  delay  he  appeared,  in  company  of 
some  of  his  bonosoora.  He  was  in  a  beastly  state  of  intoxication, 
and,  after  reeling  about  with  a  spear  in  his  hand,  he  commenced 
a  most  imbecile  attempt  at  warlike  gestures. 

Had  my  eighty  men  been  armed  with  breech-loaders,  I  could 
have  mown  down  hundreds  by  a  fire  from  the  square,  had  hos- 
tilities been  forced  upon  us;  but  as  the  greater  portion  were  arm- 
ed with  old  muskets,  we  might  have  been  overwhelmed  by  a 
general  rush,  when  reloading  after  the  first  volley. 

Kabba  Eega  was  so  drunk  that  he  did  not  appear  to  recognize 
me,  but  he  continued  to  reel  about  for  a  short  time,  and  thus  to 
expose  his  idiotic  condition,  until  his  chiefs  at  length  recommend- 
ed him  to  retire. 

Kittakara  now  explained  that,  if  I  wished  to  have  a  general 
dance,  they  would  prepare  a  grand  entertainment  at  some  future 
time ;  but  he  now  begged  me  to  withdraw  the  troops,  as  the  sun 
was  very  hot,  and  the  natives  were  fatigued. 

I  assured  Kittakara  and  the  chiefs  that  the  people  had  no  cause 
for  fear;  and  that,  now  that  my  station  was  completed,  I  should 
frequently  bring  the  troops  to  the  public  square  for  musketry 
drill,  as  there  was  no  other  open  space,  unless  Kabba  Rega  would 
order  his  people  to  clear  away  the  high  grass,  which  he  had  so 
often  promised  to  do. 

The  band  now  struck  up,  and  the  troops,  in  single  file,  march- 
ed through  the  narrow  lanes  of  the  crowded  town.  I  walked  at 
their  head ;  and  I  was  much  pleased  by  seeing  my  little  friend, 
Cherri-Merri,  who  ran  out  of  the  crowd,  and,  taking  my  hand, 
he  marched  with  us  as  a  volunteer,-  and  accompanied  us  to  the 
station. 

Upon  arrival  at  the  government  quarters,  I  found  all  hands 
armed,  and  well  stationed  for  the  defense  of  the  divan  and  pow- 
der-magazine, by  my  wife,  who  was  commandant  in  my  absence. 
She  had  placed  rockets  in  readiness  to  fire  the  town  on  the  in- 
stant of  a  volley  of  musketry  being  heard.  My  good  little  officer 
had  also  laid  out  a  large  supply  of  spare  ammunition,  together 
with  every  gun,  rifle,  and  pistol,  all  of  which  were  laid  on  a  table 
in  the  divan,  ready  to  repel  an  attack. 

I  now  sent  for  Rahonka,  who  was  supposed  to  be  the  genera] 
of  Kabba  Regia's  forces. 


A  CONFERENCE  WITH  RAHONEA. 


371 


The  conduct  of  little  Cherri-Merri  was  very  gratifying,  as  he 
had  adhered  to  his  true  friends  in  a  moment  of  great  uncertainty. 

Eahonka  shortly  appeared.  My  interpreter,  Umbogo,  was  ab- 
sent on  leave  for  two  days  to  visit  his  farm;  thus  Eahonka  was 
accompanied  by  Kadji-Barri,  who  was  well  accustomed  to  us,  and 
had  often  received  presents. 

I  now  insisted  upon  an  explanation  concerning  the  sudden 
beating  of  the  war-drum,  and  the  extraordinary  assembly  of  the 
people  armed  for  war.  Rahonka  looked  foolish  and  nervous,  as 
though  he  doubted  the  chance  of  a  safe  retreat.  He  could  not 
give  any  satisfactory  reason  for  the  hostile  display  we  had  so 
recently  witnessed,  but  he  attributed  it  to  the  drunken  state  of 
Kabba  Rega,  who  had  sounded  the  alarm  without  any  reason. 

I  assured  Rahonka  that  such  conduct  would  not  be  permitted ; 
and  that  if  such  a  scene  should  occur  again,  I  should  not  allow 
the  troops  to  be  surrounded  by  thousands  of  armed  men,  in  hos- 
tile attitudes,  without  immediately  taking  the  initiative. 

Rahonka  retired,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  received  twenty  loads 
of  corn  for  the  troops,  as  a  peace-offering. 

Thus  ended  the  month  of  May,  which  had  nearly  closed  in 
bloodshed. 

There  could  be  no  doubt  that  an  attack  upon  the  troops  had 
been  intended;  and  I  could  not  help  admiring  the  organization 
of  the  people,  that  enabled  so  large  a  force  to  be  concentrated 
upon  a  given  point  in  so  few  minutes  after  the  alarm  had  sound- 
ed. My  wife,  upon  whose  cool  judgment  I  could  always  depend, 
described  vividly  her  apprehensions  of  treachery.  She  had  wit- 
nessed the  extraordinary  energy  which  the  natives  had  exhibit- 
ed in  rushing  from  the  neighboring  villages  almost  immediately 
when  the  war-drum  had  sounded.  They  had  poured  in  streams 
past  the  station,  and  had  brandished  their  lances  and  shields  at 
her  as  they  thronged  at  full  speed  within  fifty  yards  of  the  gov- 
ernment clearing. 

Fortunately,  when  the  big  nogara  had  sounded,  both  she  and 
the  troops  understood  the  signal,  and  with  praiseworthy  speed 
she  had  placed  every  man  in  position  to  defend  the  station.  Even 
the  servants  and  our  black  boys  were  armed,  and  occupied  the 
posts  assigned  to  them.  Without  these  precautions,  it  is  highly 
probable  that  the  station  would  have  been  attacked,  in  which  case 
it  might  have  been  at  once  overwhelmed  by  so  immense  a  supe- 
riority of  force. 

felt  that  on  the  whole  we  had  narrowly  escaped  from  ruin. 
My  intention,  when  in  the  open  square,  had  been  to  seize  a  rifle 

28 


372 


ISMAILlA. 


from  a  soldier,  and  at  once  to  shoot  Kabba  Rega,  had  hostilities 
commenced  after  his  appearance ;  but,  even  had  we  been  able  to 
hold  our  own,  with  a  party  of  eighty  men,  we  should  have  lost 
the  entire  station,  together  with  all  our  ammunition,  and  every 
soul  would  have  been  massacred. 

I  had  serious  misgivings  for  the  future.  This  demonstration 
looked  extremely  bad,  after  the  departure  of  my  thirty-six  men 
with  the  post  to  Fatiko.  If  Kabba  Rega  and  his  people  were 
treacherous,  they  could  easily  murder  the  party  whom  they  were 
pretending  to  escort  as  friends. 

On  the  other  hand,  I  could  not  conceive  why  Kabba  Rega  or 
his  people  should  be  ill-disposed,  unless  he  harbored  resentment 
on  account  of  the  discovery  of  his  theft  of  the  muskets  and  am- 
munition from  the  irregulars,  wrhich  I  had  forced  him  to  restore. 

My  Baris  and  Molodi  all  declared  that  he  was  suspicious  be- 
cause I  had  pardoned  the  slave-hunters  and  received  them  into 
government  service.  This  merciless  young  villain,  who  had  so 
treacherously  murdered  his  own  kith  and  kin,  had  no  conception 
of  forgiveness ;  thus  he  could  not  understand  why  I  had  not 
killed  the  slave-hunters  when  they  were  once  in  my  power. 

There  was  no  doubt  that  discontent  rankled  deeply  in  his  heart 
for  some  cause  or  other ;  as  he  had  never  appeared,  or  received 
visits  for  many  days,  but  had  sulkily  shut  himself  up  within  his 
own  court. 

He  only  went  out  daily  at  a  certain  time,  to  collect  subscrip- 
tions for  the  pay  of  his  beloved  rascals,  the  bonosoora ;  but  this 
led  him  through  the  town  in  the  opposite  direction  to  our  camp, 
therefore  we  never  saw  him. 

The  collection  of  alms  was  a  most  undignified  proceeding.  At 
the  hour  of  his  exit  from  his  house,  a  band  of  fifes  or  flageolets 
struck  up  a  peculiar  air,  which  was  well  known  as  the  signal  for 
preparing  to  pay  for  the  king's  visit.  The  few  notes  they  played 
was  a  monotonous  repetition  of 


>- 

Lp  ' — y 

As  his  pipes  played  before  him,  Kabba  Rega  called  at  any 
houses  that  he  thought  proper  to  select,  and  received  from  the  in- 
mates of  each  a  few  cowrie-shells,  which  are  used  as  the  smallest 
coin  in  Unyoro.  These  shells  were  afterward  divided  among  his 
bonosoora  as  their  daily  pay. 

My  station  had  not  been  arranged  for  defense,  as  I  had  not  con- 


A  FORT  REQUIRED. 


373 


sidered  that  hostilities  in  this  country  could  be  even  a  remote 
possibility.  Although  black  human  nature  is  the  darkest  shade 
of  character,  I  never  could  have  believed  that  even  Kabba  Kega 
could  have  harbored  treacherous  designs  against  us,  after  the  ben- 
efits that  both  he  and  his  people  had  received  from  me.  The 
country  had  been  relieved  from  the  slave-hunters,  and  my  people 
were  actually  on  the  road  to  Fatiko  to  liberate  and  restore  to  their 
families  about  one  thousand  women  and  children  of  IJnyoro.  I 
was  about  to  establish  a  school.  No  thefts  had  taken  place  on 
the  part  of  the  troops.  The  rights  of  every  native  had  been  re- 
spected. The  chiefs  had  received  valuable  presents,  and  the  peo- 
ple had  already  felt  the  advantage  of  legitimate  trade. 

At  the  same  time  that  hostility  appeared  impossible,  I  could 
not  blind  myself  to  the  fact  of  the  late  demonstration ;  it  would 
therefore  be  absolutely  necessary  to  construct  a  small  fort  for  the 
security  of  the  ammunition  and  effects,  which  could  no  longer  be 
exposed  in  simple  straw  huts  without  protection. 

I  explained  this  necessity  to  my  officers  and  men,  all  of  whom 
were  keenly  alive  to  the  evil  spirit  of  Kabba  Rega,  from  whom 
they  expected  future  mischief. 

This  miserable  young  fellow  was  nearly  alwa}rs  drunk;  his 
time  was  passed  in  sucking  plantain  cider  through  a  reed,  until 
he  became  thoroughly  intoxicated.  We  were,  therefore,  subject 
to  any  sudden  order  that  he  might  give  in  a  fit  of  drunkenness. 

His  people  obeyed  him  implicitly,  with  that  fanatical  belief 
that  is  held  in  Unyoro  respecting  the  person  who  occupies  the 
magic  throne  (Bamba). 

There  could  be  no  doubt  that  he  was  offended  and  insulted ; 
therefore,  according  to  the  principle  in  vino  Veritas,  he  might 
pluck  up  courage  to  surprise  us  when  least  expected. 

I  determined  to  build  a  fort  immediately. 

I  drew  a  plan  of  a  circular  stockade,  surrounded  by  a  ditch 
and  earthen  parapet;  the  ditch  ten  feet  wide  by  seven  deep;  the 
diameter,  from  scarp  to  scarp,  sixty  feet;  diameter  of  inner  cir- 
cular court,  thirty-six  feet. 

With  the  assistance  of  Lieutenant  Baker,  I  drew  the  plan  on 
the  ground,  and  my  troops  set  to  work  with  that  vigor  which  al- 
ways distinguished  them. 

There  were  numerous  larsre  trees  of  the  fig  tribe  in  the  im« 
mediate  neighborhood.  This  wood  was  exactly  adapted  for  the 
purpose,  as  it  was  easy  to  cut,  and  at  the  same  time  it  was  un- 
dying when  once  planted  in  the  ground.  Any  log  of  the  bark- 
cloth-tree  will  take  root  if  watered. 


374 


ISMAILfA. 


The  axes  with  which  the  men  were  provided  now  came  into 
play,  and  the  clicking  of  so  many  tools  at  work  at  once  sur- 
prised the  natives.  Kahonka,  Kittakara,  and  other  chiefs  came 
to  inquire  concerning  our  intention. 

I  explained  the  necessity  of  storing  the  gunpowder  in  a  fire- 
proof building.  Only  a  few  days  ago  several  native  huts  had 
been  burned  ;  such  an  accident  might  endanger  our  station,  there- 
fore I  should  construct  an  earthern  roof  over  a  building  of  strong 
palisades.  I  explained  that,  should  the  whole  of  the  ammunition 
explode,  it  might  ignite  and  destroy  Masindi. 

My  men  thoroughly  understood  their  work.  Immense  logs, 
nine  feet  in  length,  and  many  upward  of  two  feet  in  diameter, 
were  planted  close  together  in  holes  two  feet  deep.  Any  inter- 
stices were  filled  up  with  smaller  posts  sunk  firmly  in  the  ground. 
The  entrance  to  the  little  fort  was  a  projecting  passage  about 
twelve  feet  long,  and  only  three  feet  wide,  formed  of  two  rows 
of  enormous  palisades,  sunk  two  feet  six  inches  in  the  earth, 
which  was  pounded  closely  down  with  heavy  rammers.  This 
passage  was  an  important  feature  in  the  power  of  defense,  as  it 
added  to  the  flanking  fire.  A  reference  to  the  plan  will  show 
that  the  arrangement  of  this  small  fort  gave  us  four  fire- 
proof rooms  for  the  protection  of  stores  and  ammunition,  and 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  necessary  guard.  Each  of  these 
rooms  was  formed  of  the  strongest  palisades,  upon  which  I  ar- 
ranged a  flat  roof  of  thick  posts  laid  parallel,  which  were  cov- 
ered with  tempered  earth  and  chopped  straw  for  the  thickness  of 
a  foot. 

The  earth  from  the  ditch  would  lie  against  the  outside  face  of 
the  stockade  at  an  angle  of  about  forty  degrees  from  the  edge  of 
the  ditch  to  within  eighteen  inches  of  the  projecting  roof ;  thus 
the  defenders  could  fire  from  the  strong  rooms  through  the  inter- 
stices of  the  upright  timbers. 

We  commenced  this  fort  on  the  morning  of  June  2d,  and 
every  palisade  was  in  its  place  and  firmly  rammed  down  by  the 
evening  of  the  5th;  thus,  in  four  days'  hard  work,  we  had  an 
impregnable  protection  in  a  position  nearly  half-way  between 
the  entrance  of  the  main  approach  and  the  government  divan. 

The  digging  of  the  ditch  was  commenced;  but  this  was  a 
longer  operation,  as  we  were  provided  with  the  light  Unyoro 
hoes,  which  were  not  sufficiently  powerful  to  cut  through  the 
hard  gravel  subsoil. 

The  interpreter,  Umbogo,  returned  on  June  3d.  He  could  not 
in  the  least  explain  the  hostile  demonstration  of  May  31st.  This 


SECTION  OF  STOCKADE  WHERE  NO  HEAVY  TIMBER  IS  PROCURABLE. 


WT£&£  sends  envoys. 


375 


added  to  my  suspicion,  as  Umbogo  must  have  known  more  than 
he  chose  to  tell. 

On  the  4th  of  June  envoys  arrived  direct  from  M'tese,  the  king 
of  Uganda,  with  a  letter  of  welcome,  written  in  Arabic,  addressed 
to  myself.  The  principal  messenger  was  one  of  M'tese's  head 
men,  named  Waysooa.  The  commander  in  chief,  Congow,  had 
also  sent  a  representative,  named  Bonneggesah ;  these  people 
were  accompanied  by  an  interpreter  named  Bokamba.  These 
envoys  were  remarkably  well  dressed,  in  Indian  clothes,  and  they 
appeared  quite  civilized,  as  though  native  merchants  of  Bombay. 

They  now  delivered  their  credentials  from  King  M'tese ;  these 
were  objects  that  had  been  given  to  him  many  years  ago  by  Speke 
and  Grant.  A  printed  book  (Kaffre  laws),  several  water -color 
drawings,  including  a  picture  of  a  guinea-fowl  and  a  yellow- 
breasted  pigeon  ;  also  a  little  folding-book,  with  sketches  of  Brit- 
ish soldiers  of  various  regiments.  These  I  carefully  examined, 
and  returned  to  the  envoys,  who  wrapped  them  neatly  in  a  piece 
of  calico  as  great  treasures. 

The  general,  Congow,  had  sent  a  tusk  to  sell!  I  declined  the 
offer,  but  I  sent  him  a  scarlet  blanket  as  a  present.  I  also  pack- 
ed up  an  assortment  of  handsome  articles  for  M'tese,  including 
many  yards  of  orange-colored  gold  brocade,  sufficient  for  a  large 
flowing  robe. 

I  gave  presents  to  the  envoys,  and  they  appeared  delighted, 
bowing  frequently  to  the  ground  while  upon  their  knees,  with 
their  hands  clasped  together,  and  repeating  the  word,  "N'yanzig," 
"N'yanzig,"  "N'yanzig." 

In  reply  to  my  inquiries,  nothing  had  been  heard  of  Living- 
stone. I  sent  M'tese  a  letter  in  Arabic,  begging  him  to  use  every 
exertion  in  a  search  for  the  great  traveler,  and  to  forward  him  to 
me  should  he  be  so  fortuna.te  as  to  discover  him.  At  the  same 
time  I  wrote  two  letters,  which  I  addressed  to  Livingstone;  in 
these  I  gave  him  the  necessary  information.  I  consigned  them 
to  the  care  of  M'tese,  to  be  forwarded  to  any  travelers  who  might 
be  heard  of  far  or  near. 

In  my  letter  to  M'tese,  I  complimented  him  upon  the  general 
improvement  of  his  country,  and  upon  his  conversion  from 
heathenism  to  a  belief  in  the  Deity.  I  explained  that,  owing  to 
his  kindness  to  Speke  and  Grant,  his  name  had  become  known 
throughout  the  world,  and  I  begged  him  to  show  the  same  at- 
tention to  Livingstone. 

I  described  the  object  of  the  expedition,  in  opening  up  a  trade 
from  the  north  that  would  bring  merchandise  of  every  descrip- 


376 


ISMAILlA. 


tion  to  his  kingdom  ;  but  I  advised  him  to  send  his  own  carriers, 
as  I  felt  sure  that  Kabba  Rega  was  already  jealous,  and  would 
endeavor  to  prevent  the  opening  of  the  commercial  road  to 
M'tese,  as  he  would  himself  wish  to  monopolize  the  trade. 

This  was  a  little  stroke  of  diplomacy  that  I  felt  sure  would 
open  a  direct  communication  without  delay,  as  M'tese  looked 
down  with  contempt  upon  Kabba  Rega,  and  would  at  once  feel 
insulted  at  opposition  from  such  a  quarter.* 

Should  I  have  any  open  rupture  with  Kabba  Rega,  M'tese 
would  at  once  attribute  the  cause  to  the  obstructive  and  selfish 
character  of  the  ruler  in  Unyoro. 

I  explained  to  the  envoys  all  that  I  had  written  to  M'tese; 
and  having  exhibited  the  varieties  of  merchandise  that  belonged 
to  the  expedition,  I  took  them  into  the  wonderful  private  house, 
where  they  were  introduced,  to  the  Queen,  and  the  Princess  of 
Wales,  and  the  gaudy  ladies,  together  with  the  fox- hunters  and 
hounds,  the  large  mirrors,  the  wheel  of  life,  etc. ;  all  of  which 
were  duly  explained  to  them.  A  good  shock  with  the  magnetic 
battery  wound  up  the  entertainment,  and  provided  them  with 
much  material  for  a  report  to  their  royal  master  upon  their  re- 
turn to  Uganda. 

The  geographical  information  afforded  by  these  people  I  shall 
extract  verbatim  from  my  journal,  in  which  it  was  written  at  that 
particular  time ;  thus,  geographers  will  hear  all  that  I  heard  ;  and 
they  may  form  various  opinions,  which  will  perhaps  add  still  fur- 
ther to  the  interest  pertaining  to  the  mysteries  of  Central  Africa : 

"  The  native  name  for  the  Victoria  N'yanza  is  Nerraa  Bali. 
There  are  two  lakes  adjoining  each  other,  one  is  Nerraa  Bali,  the 
other  Sessi ;  both  of  which  are  very  large,  and  they  are  separated 
by  a  neck  of  land  about  a  day's  march  across. 

"On  the  Sessi  lake  the  natives  live  on  floating  islands,  and 
subsist  by  fishing;  exchanging  their  fish  for  flour,  etc.,  upon  the 
main-land. 

"There  is  a  narrow  water-communication  through  the  neck  of 
land,  or  isthmus,  which  can  be  passed  through  by  a  canoe  in 
one  day." 

On  June  5th  the  envoys  returned  toward  Uganda,  having 
been  highly  gratified  with  their  visit.  They  had  appeared  much 
concerned  at  hearing  of  poor  Speke's  death ;  and  continued  to 
exclaim  for  some  minutes,  "  Wah !  Wah  !  Speekee !  Speekee ! 
Wah!  Speekee!" 


*  The  good  effect  of  this  policy  will  he  seen  toward  the  close  of  the  expedition. 


CIDER  TENDERED,  BUT  NO  CORN. 


377 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

TREACHERY. 

For  some  days  past  Kabba  Rega  had  frequently  sent  his  in- 
terpreters with  messages  that  he  wished  to  sell  the  ivory  that 
he  had  collected  for  the  government.  We  had  noticed  on  several 
occasions  many  people  laden  with  large  elephants'  tusks,  who  in- 
variably marched  toward  the  same  direction.  The  dragoman, 
Kadji-Barri,  daily  brought  ivory  for  sale  for  the  account  of  his 
master,  and  exchanged  tusks  for  all  kinds  of  trifles,  such  as  por- 
celain cups  and  saucers,  small  musical  boxes,  etc.,  etc. 

On  June  6th  twenty-one  tusks  were  purchased  from  the  mes- 
sengers of  Kabba  Rega,  and  I  thought  that  the  young  king  was 
getting  tired  of  his  sulky  fit,  and  that  we  should  be  once  more 
friends. 

The  supply  of  food  was  always  a  trouble.  Every  day  was 
passed  in  repeated  applications  to  the  authorities  for  supplies, 
which  were  at  length  grudgingly  bestowed. 

On  June  7th  there  was  nothing  for  the  troops  to  eat.  Al- 
though on  May  31st  we  had  received  twenty  loads  of  corn,  these 
were  simply  the  long,  narrow  packages  which  are  so  neatly  made 
of  the  plantain  bark  throughout  Unyoro,  but  which  contain  very 
little. 

Several  times  during  the  day  Lieutenant-colonel  Abd-el-Kader, 
together  with  Monsoor,  had  been  sent  to  the  divan  of  Kabba 
Rega,  to  impress  upon  his  chiefs  the  necessity  of  a  supply  of 
food.  They  explained  my  great  annoyance,  as  this  was  precisely 
the  result  that  I  had  foretold  when  Kabba  Rega  had  neglected 
to  clear  the  ground  for  cultivation. 

At  about  3  p.m.  the  tall  chief,  Matonse,  appeared,  together  with 
Umbogo  and  several  natives,  who  carried  five  large  jars  of  plan- 
tain cider.  These  were  sent  to  me  from  Kabba  Rega,  with  a  po- 
lite but  lying  message  that  "he  much  regretted  the  scarcity  of 
corn  ;  there  was  positively  none  in  Masindi,  but  a  large  quantity 
would  arrive  to-morrow  from  Agguse."  In  the  mean  time  he 
begged  I  would  accept  for  the  troops  a  present  of  the  five  jars  of 
cider. 

I  declined  to  accept  the  present,  as  I  did  not  require  drink,  but 
solid  food  for  the  troops.    The  jars  were  therefore  returned. 


378 


ISMAILlA. 


About  sunset  Matonse  again  appeared,  accompanied  by  Umbo- 
go  and  natives,  with  seven  jars  of  cider  and  two  large  packages 
of  flour,  which  he  assured  me  had  been  borrowed  from  Kahonka. 
He  was  exceedingly  polite,  and  smiled  and  bowed,  beseeching 
me  to  accept  the  cider,  as  plenty  of  corn  would  be  sent  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  when  better  arrangements  would  be  made  for  future 
supplies. 

I  could  no  longer  refuse  the  cider,  therefore  I  sent  for  Abd-el- 
Kader,  and  gave  him  five  jars  for  the  officers  and  troops. 

It  was  at  this  time  about  seven  o'clock,  and  we  sat  down  to 
dinner  in  the  divan,  as  it  was  too  chilly  to  dine  outside. 

We  had  just  finished  dinner,  when  Abd-el-Kader  suddenly  en- 
tered the  divan  in  a  state  of  troubled  excitement,  to  inform  me 
that  "  many  of  the  troops  appeared  to  be  dying,  and  they  had  ev- 
idently been  poisoned  by  the  plantain  cider!" 

I  inquired  how  many  men  had  drunk  from  the  jars.  He  could 
not  tell,  but  he  feared  that  at  least  half  the  company  had  taken 
some  portion,  more  or  less.  He  had  himself  drunk  a  tumblerful, 
and  he  already  felt  uncomfortable,  with  a  tightness  of  the  throat, 
and  a  burning  pain  in  his  inside. 

I  at  once  flew  to  my  medicinal  arms.  Independently  of  the 
large  medicine-chest,  I  had  a  small  box,  about  nine  inches  by  five, 
which  contained  all  that  could  be  desired  for  any  emergency. 
This  little  chest  had  been  my  companion  for  twenty -five  years. 

I  begged  my  wife  to  get  as  much  mustard  and  strong  salt-and- 
water  ready  as  she  could  mix  in  a  hurry,  and  I  started  off  with 
Abd-el-Kader  and  Lieutenant  Baker.  I  immediately  sent  Mon- 
soor  to  find  Umbogo. 

On  arrival  at  the  camp,  which  was  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  yards  distant,  my  first  order  was  to  double  all  the  sen- 
tries. 

I  found  the  men  in  a  terrible  state.  Several  lay  insensible, 
while  about  thirty  were  suffering  from  violent  constriction  of  the 
throat,  which  almost  prevented  them  from  breathing.  This  was 
accompanied  by  spasms  and  burning  pain  in  the  stomach,  with 
delirium,  a  partial  palsy  of  the  lower  extremities,  and,  in  the 
worst  cases,  total  loss  of  consciousness. 

I  opened  the  jaws  of  the  insensible,  and  poured  down  a  dessert- 
spoonful of  water,  containing  three  grains  of  emetic  tartar,  and  in 
about  ten  minutes  I  dosed  every  body  who  had  partaken  of  the 
poisoned  cider  with  the  same  emetic,  while  I  insisted  upon  a  flood 
of  mustard  and  salt -and- water  being  swallowed.  Fortunately, 
we  had  every  thing  at  hand.    The  soldiers  who  were  sound  were 


UMBOGO  PROVED  NOT  GUILTY. 


379 


all  nursing  the  sick,  and  they  poured  down  gallons  of  brine,  until 
the  patients  began  to  feel  the  symptoms  of  a  rough  passage  across 
the  British  Channel. 

My  servants  always  kept  the  lanterns  trimmed  —  this  was  a 
positive  order.  The  lights  were  now  moving  to  and  fro,  and, 
having  seen  all  the  poisoned  under  the  full  effect  of  a  large  dose 
of  tartarized  antimony,  with  an  accompaniment  of  strong  brine 
and  mustard.  I  returned  to  the  divan,  where  I  found  Umbogo  had 
just  arrived  with  Monsoor,  who  had  met  with  him  at  his  own  hut. 

I  sat  quietly  at  the  table  as  though  nothing  had  occurred. 

"Are  you  fond  of  merissa,  Umbogo?" 

"  Yes,"  he  replied. 

"  Would  you  like  to  drink  some  that  you  brought  from  Kabba 
Rega  this  evening?" 

"Yes,  if  you  have  any  to  spare,"  replied  Umbogo. 

I  ordered  Monsoor  to  fill  a  gourd -shell  that  would  contain 
about  a  quart.    This  was  handed  to  him,  together  with  a  reed. 

Umbogo  began  to  suck  it  vigorously  through  the  tube.  My 
wife  thought  he  was  shamming. 

"Drink  it  off,  Umbogo!"  I  exclaimed. 

He  drank  with  enjoyment — there  was  no  mistake. 

"Stop  him!  —  that's  enough,  Umbogo!  Don't  drink  it  all." 
The  man  was  evidently  not  guilty,  although  he  had  been  employ- 
ed to  bring  the  poisoned  stuff. 

Umbogo  had  only  time  to  leave  the  divan  and  turn  the  corner, 
before  he  fell  to  the  ground,  with  the  same  symptoms  that  had 
been  exhibited  among  the  men.  He  had  drunk  more  than  the 
others.  His  eyes  were  blood-stained,  and  nearly  started  from  his 
head,  as  he  strove  wildly  upon  the  ground  and  wrestled  with  those 
who  endeavored  to  assist  him,  in  a  state  of  total  unconsciousness. 

I  was  by  his  side  immediately,  and  administered  the  same  rem- 
edies. 

I  now  ordered  all  the  sick  men  to  be  either  carried  or  led  with- 
in the  fort,  from  which  they  could  not  escape.  Those  who  were 
slightly  better  now  endeavored  to  wander  about  in  delirium,  and 
they  would  have  been  lost  in  the  high  grass  unless  I  had  thus 
secured  them. 

All  that  was  possible  had  been  done;  the  sick  were  secured, 
and  the  night  guards  for  relief  were  all  at  their  posts,  with 
double  sentries  awake  and  on  duty;  thus  no  man  would  sleep 
within  the  station. 

I  sent  Monsoor  to  call  the  chief,  Matonse,  whose  house  was 
within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  government  divan. 


360 


ISMAILlA. 


Monsoor  shortly  returned  without  Matonse.  He  had  brought 
an  interpreter  from  this  chief,  in  lieu  of  Umbogo,  who  was  inca- 
pacitated ;  and  Matonse  had  sent  a  message  "  that  he  could  not 
come  to  me  in  the  dark,  but  he  would  call  on  the  following  day." 

In  the  mean  time  an  ominous  stillness  reigned  throughout  the 
usually  boisterous  population  of  Masindi.  Not  a  sound  was  to 
be  heard,  although  the  nightly  custom  of  the  people  was  singing, 
howling,  and  blowing  horns. 

My  arms  and  ammunition  were  always  in  readiness,  but  I  filled 
up  my  pouches  to  the  maximum  of  fifty  cartridges,  and  at  mid- 
night I  went  to  bed. 

I  woke  frequently  to  listen,  as  I  was  anxious,  and  therefore  I 
slept  lightly.  The  faithful  Monsoor  was  under  arms,  and  was 
pacing  throughout  the  whole  night  before  my  door;  he  never 
slept. 

At  about  2  A.M.  there  was  a  sound  throughout  the  town  of 
fowls  crying,  as  though  they  were  being  disturbed  and  caught 
while  at  roost. 

At  about  3  a.m.  the  lowing  of  cattle  was  heard,  as  though  Kab- 
ba  Eega's  cows  were  being  driven  off! 

A  little  after  5  a.m.  I  got  up,  and  went  out  at  day-break  to 
visit  the  sick  within  the  fort.  I  found  Monsoor  waiting  by  my 
door. 

The  emetics  had  counteracted  the  poison,  and  my  patients,  al- 
though weakly,  were  quite  out  of  danger. 

Having  examined  them,  I  ordered  the  men  to  their  quarters, 
and  they  all  left  the  fort,  with  the  exception  of  the  night-guard. 

The  two  interpreters,  Umbogo  and  A  boo  Kooka,  were  secured 
by  a  thin  cord  fastened  round  their  necks. 

Having  given  all  the  necessary  instructions,  I  ordered  Monsoor 
to  go  to  the  chief,  Matonse,  with  a  message  that  I  wished  to  see 
him,  as  the  men  had  been  ill  after  drinking  the  cider,  and  although 
now  recovered,  it  would  be  satisfactory  if  he  would  examine  the 
remaining  jars. 

Monsoor  took  his  rifle,  and,  accompanied  by  a  corporal,  Fer- 
ritch  Baggara,  one  of  the  best  soldiers  of  the  "Forty  Thieves," 
started  on  his  mission.  Matonse's  house,  as  already  described, 
was  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  government  divan. 

It  was  now  about  5.45  a.m.  I  noticed  that  Kabba  Eega's 
divan,  within  fifty  yards  of  the  government-house,  seemed  full  of 
people,  some  of  whom  were  washing  their  faces,  as  though  they 
had  just  risen  from  sleep. 

My  wife  had  now  joined  me,  and,  according  to  my  usual  habit, 


SHARP -SHOOTERS  IN  THE  COVERT. 


381 


I  strolled  up  and  down  the  broad,  graveled  approach,  and  smoked 
a  short  pipe.  We  were  conversing  together  about  the  present 
state  of  affairs,  and  were  anxiously  expecting  the  return  of  Mon- 
soor  with  Matonse,  who  would  perhaps  throw  some  light  on  the 
matter. 

I  was  followed  closely  by  a  bugler  and  a  choush  (sergeant). 
The  main  entrance  of  the  approach  from  the  town  was  bordered 
upon  either  side  by  a  dense  plantation  of  castor-oil  trees,  which 
continued  in  a  thick  fringe  along  the  edge  of  the  garden,  so  as  to 
screen  the  huts  from  our  view,  although  they  were  within  twenty 
paces  of  the  entrance  of  the  drive. 

The  castor -oil  bushes  were  within  five  yards  of  the  entrance, 
and  gradually  increased  the  distance  as  they  turned  obliquely 
toward  the  private  divan  of  Kabba  Eega. 

AVe  little  suspected  that  sharp-shooters  were  already  concealed 
within  this  dense  covert. 

My  wife  and  I  had  reached  the  entrance  of  the  approach. 
Nothing  seemed  to  denote  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  natives,  no 
person  being  visible  except  those  guards  who  occupied  the  king's 
divan. 

Suddenly  we  were  startled  by  the  savage  yells  of  some  thou- 
sand voices,  which  burst  unexpectedly  upon  us! 

This  horrible  sound  came  from  the  direction  of  Matonse's 
house,  and  was  within  one  hundred  and  twenty  yards  from  the 
spot  on  which  we  stood;  but  the  town  was  not  visible,  owing  to 
the  thick  covert  of  oil-bushes. 

The  savage  yells  were  almost  immediately  followed  by  two 
rifle-shots  in  the  same  direction. 

"Sound  the  taboor!"  Fortunately  I  gave  this  order  to  the  bu- 
gler by  my  side  without  one  moment's  delay. 

I  had  just  time  to  tell  my  wife  to  run  into  the  divan  and  get 
my  rifle  and  belt,  when  the  sharp-shooters  opened  fire  at  me  from 
the  bushes  within  a  few  yards. 

I  had  white  cotton  clothes;  thus  I  was  a  very  clear  object.  As 
I  walked  toward  the  divan  to  meet  my  rifle,  the  sergeant  who 
followed  close  behind  me  fell,  shot  through  the  heart. 

The  troops  had  fallen  into  position  with  extraordinary  rapidi- 
ty, and  several  ascended  the  roof  of  the  fort,  so  as  to  see  clearly 
over  the  high  grass.  A  soldier  immediately  fell,  to  die  in  a  few 
minutes,  shot  through  the  shoulder-blade.  Another  man  of  the 
"Forty  Thieves"  was  shot  through  the  leg  above  the  knee.  The 
bullets  were  flying  through  the  government  divan,  and  along  the 
approach. 


382 


ISMAILlA. 


A  tumultuous  roar  of  savage  voices  had  burst  from  all  sides, 
and  the  whole  place  was  alive  a  few  instants  after  the  first  two 
shots  had  been  heard.  Thousands  of  armed  natives  now  rushed 
from  all  directions  upon  the  station. 

A  thrill  went  through  me  when  I  thought  of  my  good  and  de- 
voted Monsoor! 

My  wife  had  quickly  given  me  my  belt  and  breech-loading 
double  rifle,  the  "Dutchman."*  Fortunately  I  had  filled  up  the 
pouches  on  the  previous  evening  with  fifty  rounds  of  cartridge. 

The  troops  were  now  in  open  order,  completely  around  the 
station,  and  were  pouring  a  heavj7  fire  into  the  masses  of  the 
enemy  within  the  high  grass,  which  had  been  left  purposely  un- 
cleared by  Kabba  Rega,  in  order  to  favor  this  treacherous  attack. 

The  natives  kept  up  a  steady  fire  upon  the  front  from  behind 
the  castor-oil  bushes  and  the  densely  thronged  houses. 

With  sixteen  men  of  the  "  Forty  Thieves,"  together  with  Col- 
onel Abd  -  el  -  Kader  and  Lieutenant  Baker,  R.  N.,  I  directed  a 
heavy  fire  into  the  covert,  and  soon  made  it  too  hot  for  the 
sharp-shooters.  I  had  ordered  the  blue-lights  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  attack.  My  black  boys,  Saat  and  Bellaal,  together 
with  some  soldiers,  now  arrived  with  a  good  supply. 

Covering  their  advance  with  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Sniders,  the 
boys  and  men  rushed  forward,  and  immediately  ignited  Kabba 
Rega's  large  divan. 

These  active  and  plucky  lads  now  ran  nimbly  from  hut  to  hut, 
and  one  slight  touch  of  the  strong  fire  of  the  blue-lights  was  suf- 
ficient to  insure  the  ignition  of  the  straw  dwellings. 

I  now  sent  a  party  of  fifteen  Sniders,  under  Lieutenant  Fer- 
ritch  Agha,  one  of  my  most  courageous  officers,  with  a  supply  of 
blue-lights,  to  set  fire  to  the  town  on  our  left  flank,  and  to  push 
on  to  the  spot  where  the  missing  Monsoor  and  Ferritch  had  fired 
their  rifles. 

Every  arrangement  having  been  rapidly  carried  out,  the  boys 
and  a  few  men  continued  to  fire  the  houses  on  our  right  flank ; 
and  giving  the  order  to  advance,  our  party  of  sixteen  rushed  for- 
ward into  the  town. 

The  right  and  left  flanks  were  now  blazing,  and  the  flames 
were  roaring  before  the  wind.  I  heard  the  rattling  fire  of  the 
Sniders  under  Ferritch  Agha  on  our  left;  and  knowing  that  both 
flanks  were  now  thoroughly  secured  by  the  conflagration,  we 


*  This  beautiful  weapon,  I  have  already  mentioned,  was  made  by  Mr.  Holland,  of 
Bond  Street,  London. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  MASINDI. 


383 


dashed  straight  for  Kabba  Rega's  principal  residences  and  court, 
driving  the  enemy  before  us.  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  was  an  ex- 
cellent officer  in  action.  We  quickly  surrounded  Kabba  Rega's 
premises,  and  set  fire  to  the  enormous  straw  buildings  on  all 
sides. 

If  he  had  been  at  home  he  would  have  had  a  warm  reception ; 
but  the  young  coward  had  fled,  with  all  his  women,  before  the 
action  had  commenced,  together  with  the  magic  bamba,  or  throne, 
and  the  sacred  drum. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  conflagration  was  terrific,  as  the  great 
court  of  Kabba  Rega  blazed  in  flames  seventy  or  eighty  feet 
high,  which  the  wind  drove  in  vivid  forks  into  the  thatch  of  the 
adjacent  houses. 

We  now  followed  the  'enemy  throughout  the  town,  and  the 
Sniders  told  with  sensible  effect  wherever  they  made  a  stand. 
The  blue-lights  continued  the  work  of  vengeance;  the  roar  of 
flames  and  the  dense  volumes  of  smoke,  mingled  with  the  con- 
tinued rattle  of  musketry  and  the  savage  yells  of  the  natives, 
swept  forward  with  the  breeze,  and  the  capital  of  Unyoro  was  a 
fair  sample  of  the  infernal  regions. 

The  natives  were  driven  out  of  the  town;  but  the  high  grass 
was  swarming  with  many  thousands,  who,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  station,  still  advanced  to  attack  the  soldiers. 

I  now  ordered  "The  Forty"  to  clear  the  grass,  and  a  steady 
fire  of  Snider  rifles  soon  purged  the  covert  upon  which  the  en- 
ern}'  had  relied. 

In  about  an  hour  and  a  quarter  the  battle  of  Masindi  was  won. 
Not  a  house  remained  of  the  lately  extensive  town.  A  vast 
open  space  of  smoke  and  black  ashes,  with  flames  flickering  in 
some  places  where  the  buildings  had  been  consumed,  and  at 
others  forked  sheets  of  fire  where  the  fuel  was  still  undestroyed, 
were  the  only  remains  of  the  capital  of  Unyoro. 

The  enemy  had  fled.  Their  drums  and  horns,  lately  so  noisy, 
were  now  silent. 

I  ordered  the  bugle  to  sound  "cease  firing."  We  marched 
through  the  scorching  streets  to  our  station,  where  I  found  my 
wife  in  deep  distress. 

The  bugle  sounded  the  assembly,  and  the  men  mustered  and 
fell  in  for  the  roll-call.    Four  men  were  missing. 

Lying  on  the  turf,  close  to  the  fort  wall,  were  four  bodies  ar- 
ranged in  a  row,  and  covered  with  cloths. 

The  soldiers  gathered  round  them  as  I  approached.  The 
cloths  were  raised. 

29 


ISMAILlA. 


My  eyes  rested  on  the  pale  features  of  my  ever-faithful  and 
devoted  officer,  Monsoor!  There  was  a  sad  expression  of  pain 
on  his  face.  I  could  not  help  feeling  his  pulse,  but  there  was  no 
hope;  this  was  still.  I  laid  his  arm  gently  by  his  side,  and 
pressed  his  hand  for  the  last  time,  for  I  loved  Monsoor  as  a  true 
friend. 

His  body  was  pierced  with  thirty-two  lance  wounds;  thus  he 
had  fought  gallantly  to  the  last,  and  he  had  died  like  a  good  sol- 
dier; but  he  was  treacherously  murdered  instead  of  dying  on  a 
fair  battle-field. 

Poor  Ferritch  Baggara  was  lying  next  to  him,  with  two  lance 
wounds  through  the  chest. 

The  other  bodies  were  those  of  the  choush  that  had  fallen  by 
my  side,  and  the  soldier  who  had  been  shot  on  the  parapet. 

We  were  all  deeply  distressed  at  the  death  of  poor  Monsoor. 
There  never  was  a  more  thoroughly  unselfish  and  excellent  man. 
He  was  always  kind  to  the  boys,  and  would  share  even  a  scanty 
meal  in  hard  times  with  either  friend  or  stranger.  He  was  the 
lamb  in  peace,  and  the  lion  in  moments  of  danger.  I  owed  him 
a  debt  of  gratitude ;  for  although  I  was  the  general,  and  he  had 
been  only  a  corporal  when  he  first  joined  the  expedition,  he  had 
watched  over  my  safety  like  a  brother.  I  should  "  never  see  his 
like  again." 

Monsoor  was  the  only  Christian,  excepting  the  European 
party. 

The  graves  were  made.  I  gave  out  new  cloth  from  the  stores 
in  which  to  wrap  the  bodies  of  four  of  my  best  men,  and  they 
were  buried  near  the  fort. 

My  heart  was  very  heavy.  God  knows  I  had  worked  with  the 
best  intentions  for  the  benefit  of  the  country,  and  this  was  the 
lamentable  result.  My  best  men  were  treacherously  murdered. 
We  had  narrowly  escaped  a  general  massacre.  We  had  won  the 
battle,  and  Masindi  was  swept  from  the  earth.    What  next? 

I  find  these  words,  which  I  extract  from  my  journal,  as  they 
were  written  at  that  moment : 

"Thus  ended  the  battle  of  Masindi,  caused  by  the  horrible 
treachery  of  the  natives.  Had  I  not  been  quick  in  sounding  the 
bugle  and  immediately  assuming  a  vigorous  offensive,  we  should 
have  been  overwhelmed  by  numbers. 

"Since  we  have  been  in  this  country,  my  men  have  been  mod- 
els of  virtue;  nothing  has  been  stolen,  except  a  few  potatoes  on 
one  occasion,  when  the  thief  was  publicly  punished,  and  the  po- 
tatoes restored  to  the  owner;  neither  have  the  natives  been  inter- 


BEHAVIOR  OF  THE  TROOPS. 


385 


fered  with  in  any  manner.  I  have  driven  the  slave-nunters  from 
their  country,  and  my  troops  from  Fatiko  are  ordered  to  restore 
to  Unyoro  all  the  slaves  that  have  been  stolen  by  the  traders. 
The  disgusting  ingratitude  and  treachery  of  the  negro  surpasses 
imagination. 

"What  is  to  become  of  these  countries?  All  my  good-will 
brings  forth  evil  deeds." 

In  the  battle  of  Masindi  nothing  could  have  exceeded  the  cool, 
soldier-like  bearing  of  both  officers  and  men.  Every  man  had 
done  his  duty.  In  the  first  onset,  when  about  seven  or  eight 
thousand  natives  had  suddenly  attacked  the  station,  the  men  had 
not  only  fallen  into  position  for  the  defense  of  the  camp  with  ex- 
traordinary alacrity,  but  they  had  behaved  with  extreme  steadi- 
ness and  coolness,  and  not  a  man  had  moved  from  his  post  with- 
out orders. 

The  attacking  parties,  formed  exclusively  of  the  "  Forty 
Thieves,"  had  exhibited  an  activity  and  elan  for  which  this  gal- 
lant little  corps  was  eminently  distinguished ;  and  had  they  been 
European  troops,  their  conduct  upon  this  occasion  against  such 
overwhelming  odds  would  have  covered  them  with  glory. 

We  had  no  newspaper  correspondents,  therefore  I  must  give 
the  due  praise  to  my  officers  and  men. 

During  the  day  I  established  patrols  throughout  the  now  clear- 
ed space  lately  occupied  by  the  town. 

In  the  afternoon  Umbogo  was  able  to  call  some  natives  who 
were  within  ear-shot.  These  men  explained  that  the  chief,  Ma- 
tonse,  was  the  cause  of  the  outbreak,  and  that  it  was  his  people 
who,  by  his  orders,  had  killed  Monsoor  and  Ferritch. 

Umbogo  had  been  set  at  liberty  during  the  fight,  but  I  now 
secured  him  by  the  neck  to  a  leathern  thong  in  the  hand  of  a 
sentry ;  for,  although  a  good  man,  I  could  not  afford  to  lose  him, 
and  the  devil  might  have  tempted  him  to  run  away. 

In  the  afternoon  some  natives  cried  out  that  Kittakara  was 
coming,  and  Lieutenant- colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  with  a  few  men, 
immediately  went  out  to  meet  him. 

Kittakara  would  not  approach  within  less  than  about  a  hun- 
dred yards;  but  he  assured  Abd-el-Kader  that  the  outbreak  was 
not  the  fault  of  Kabba  Rega,  but  that  the  responsibility  lay  with 
Matonse,  who  had  escaped,  and  that  he  should  be  captured  and 
delivered  up  to  me. 

He  continued  to  assure  Abd-el-Kader  that  Kabba  Rega  had 
already  ordered  provisions  and  a  large  number  of  elephants' 
tusks  to  be  collected  for  us,  and  that,  although  for  the  present  he 


386 


ISMAILlA. 


was  hiding,  through  fear,  in  the  high  grass,  he  would  quickly  re- 
build his  divan  close  to  my  own,  so  as  to  live  in  friendship. 

It  was  impossible  to  credit  one  syllable  in  Unyoro.  On  the 
other  hand,  should  I  be  unable  to  bring  the  enemy  to  terms,  I 
should  be  utterly  ruined,  as  it  would  be  impossible  to  transport 
my  baggage. 

It  was  a  terrible  position.  The  treachery  had  been  frightful, 
and  I  could  only  attribute  it  to  Kabba  Eega's  orders,  in  spite  of 
the  protestations  of  Kittakara.  If  I  should  be  right  in  my  suspi- 
cions, what  would  become  of  Major  Abdullah  and  his  detachment? 

Nothing  would  be  easier  for  the  three  hundred  natives  who 
had  accompanied  my  people  with  the  post,  than  to  behave  well 
on  the  route  to  Fatiko,  in  order  to  establish  confidence.  They 
could  then  carry  all  the  effects  and  ammunition,  in  company  with 
Abdullah  and  his  troops,  from  Fatiko  to  Unyoro;  and  in  the 
prairie  wilderness  they  might  murder  every  man  at  night  when 
asleep,  and  possess  themselves  of  the  arms,  ammunition,  and  ef- 
fects, with  which  they  would  rejoin  Kabba  Eega. 

This  was  a  frightful  idea;  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  that 
such  treachery  had  been  planned,  if  Kabba  Eega  were  guilty  of 
the  attempt  to  poison  the  troops  and  attack  us  by  surprise.  It 
was  hard  to  disbelieve  his  guilt. 

There  were  no  means  possible  of  communication  with  Abdul- 
lah. In  case  of  necessity,  there  was  only  one  move;  this  was  to 
march  to  the  Victoria  Nile,  and  form  an  alliance  with  Eionga, 
the  old  enemy  of  Kamrasi's  familj^  whom  I  had  always  refused 
to  attack.  I  was  sure  that  he  must  have  heard  of  my  refusal  to 
ally  myself  with  Kabba  Eega  against  him  :  thus  he  would  be 
favorable  to  the  government. 

I  resolved  that,  if  hostilities  should  continue,  I  would  proclaim 
Eionga  as  the  representative  of  the  government,  as  vassal-chief 
of  Unyoro  in  the  room  of  Kabba  Eega,  deposed. 

Eionga  would  send  a  letter  to  warn  Major  Abdullah  at  Fatiko ; 
but  how  was  I  to  convey  my  baggage  and  ammunition  from  Ma* 
sindi  to  Foweera  without  a  single  carrier,  or  even  a  guide? 

It  was  the  height  of  the  rainy  season,  and  the  grass  was  about 
nine  or  ten  feet  high  throughout  a  country  of  dense  and  tangled 
forest. 

I  had  no  interpreter  of  my  own ;  Umbogo  was  Kabba  Eega's 
slave,  and  although  I  fancied  that  he  was  fond  of  us,  I  had  no 
faith  in  any  one  of  these  detestable  people.  This  want  of  confi- 
dence was  keenly  felt  at  a  time  when  I  required  an  interpreter  in 
whom  I  could  absolutely  trust.     I  was  obliged  to  confide  my 


COMMUNICATION  WITH  RIONGA. 


387 


plan  to  Urnbogo,  as  I  wished  him  to  find  some  man  among  the 
natives  who  would  take  a  message  to  Rionga. 

I  knew  that  many  people  hated  Kabba  Rega.  Umbogo  had 
frequently  assured  me  that  Mashudi,  which  was  only  two  days 
distant  from  Masindi,  to  the  south-east,  had  always  been  Rionga's 
stronghold;  and  that  the  natives  of  that  district  would  rise  in 
favor  of  their  chief,  should  any  reverse  befall  Kabba  Rega. 

The  news  of  the  defeat  of  his  army,  and  the  complete  de- 
struction of  his  capital,  would  run  through  the  country  like  wild- 
fire. It  was  well  known  that  Rionga  had  spies,  who  were  dis- 
guised as  friends,  even  at  the  court  of  Kabba  Rega;  these  agents 
sent  him  information  of  all  that  occurred. 

If  Umbogo  could  communicate  with  one  of  these  people,  I 
might  send  off  to  Rionga,  to  beg  him  to  send  three  hundred  men 
to  Fatiko  with  a  letter  from  myself  to  Major  Abdullah.  Rionga's 
people  would  transport  the  effects  instead  of  Kabba  Rega's  car- 
riers, who  would  be  seized  and  held  as  hostages.  This  would 
save  Abdullah  from  the  intended  treachery,  if  it  were  done  at 
once ;  but  there  was  not  a  moment  to  lose. 

Already  fifteen  days  had  elapsed  since  my  party  with  the  post 
had  started,  and  by  this  time  they  should  be  near  Fatiko,*  unless 
they  had  been  delayed  upon  the  road,  as  was  usual  in  Unyoro. 

If  I  could  depend  upon  Rionga,  he  would  at  once  save  Abdul- 
lah's party,  and  he  would  send  a  large  force  to  communicate 
with  me  at  Masindi. 

Had  I  provisions,  I  could  have  held  my  now  fortified  position 
against  a  whole  world  of  niggers;  but  with  only  a  hundred  men, 
I  should  be  Unable  to  forage  in  this  country  of  high  grass,  and  at 
the  same  time  defend  the  station. 

All  depended  upon  the  possibility  of  my  communication  with 
Rionga. 

Umbogo  declared  that,  if  I  would  only  march  to  Mashudi,  the 
natives  would  rise  in  Rionga's  favor  and  join  me. 

I  told  him  that  if  this  were  true,  he  could  surely  find  some 
person  who  would  run  to  Mashudi  and  raise  the  malcontents, 
who  would  at  once  carry  my  message  to  Rionga. 

Umbogo  promised  to  do  his  best:  at  the  same  time  he  express- 
ed an  opinion  that  Rionga  would  not  wait  long  in  inaction,  but 
that  he  would  invade  Kabba  Rega  directly  that  he  should  hear 
of  the  war.  From  my  experience  of  natives,  I  did  not  share  his 
opinion. 


*  At  that  time  they  had  already  been  treacherously  attacked. 


388 


ISMAILlA. 


As  Kittakara  bad  apologized  for  the  attack  to  Colonel  Abd-el- 
Kader,  and  a  truce  had  been  arranged,  a  great  number  of  natives 
spread  themselves  over  the  ruins  of  the  town  to  search  for  the 
iron  molotes,  which  are  generally  concealed  in  the  earth  beneath 
the  floor  of  the  huts.  The  natives  were  all  prodding  the  smok- 
ing ground  with  the  iron-tipped  butt-ends  of  their  lances  to  dis- 
cover the  treasures. 

Urnbogo  now  went  among  them  with  his  guard,  and  conversed 
upon  the  cause  of  the  late  attack. 

In  the  evening  Umbogo  declared  that  he  was  not  quite  certain 
of  the  truth;  he  evidently  suspected  the  sincerity  of  Kabba  Eega. 
It  was  quite  impossible  to  procure  any  messenger  at  present  that 
could  be  trusted  with  a  message  to  Kionga. 

The  memorable  8th  of  June  happened  to  be  my  birthday.  It 
had  been  the  day  of  death  to  my  lamented  follower,  Monsoor; 
but  we  had  well  avenged  him. 

Umbogo  reported  that  the  natives  had  given  him  the  names 
of  nine  matongales  (chiefs)  killed  in  the  action,  together  with  a 
large  number  of  common  people.  A  great  many  were  still  miss- 
ing: these  were  probably  lying  in  the  high  grass,  which  had 
been  raked  by  the  hot  fire  of  the  Sniders.  Vultures  were  collect- 
ed in  immense  numbers  over  many  spots  in  this  dense  covert, 
which  denoted  the  places  where  the  "missing"  had  fallen. 

I  ordered  the  troops  to  abandon  their  undefended  camp,  and  to 
sleep  within  the  fort  that  night. 

The  morning  of  the  9th  of  June  arrived — the  night  had  passed 
in  perfect  quiet. 

My  troops  were  set  to  work  with  their  sharp  sword-baj^onets, 
swords,  knives,  etc.,  to  cut  down  all  the  high  grass  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, so  as  to  throw  open  the  view,  and  prevent  the  enemy 
from  attacking  us  by  another  surprise.  They  worked  for  many 
hours,  and  soon  found  a  number  of  the  missing,  who  were  lying 
dead.  Five  bodies  were  discovered  close  together,  as  though 
they  had  been  killed  by  a  shell.  This  was  in  a  spot  where  the 
"  Forty  Thieves  "  had  been  at  work. 

One  unfortunate  creature  was  found  in  the  high  grass  with  a 
smashed  leg.  He  had  been  lying,  thirsty  and  in  pain,  for  about 
thirty  hours  in  the  same  spot.  My  men  gave  him  water  and 
food,  and  his  friends  came  and  took  him  away.  The  wounded 
man  seemed  very  grateful ;  and  he  told  my  soldiers  that  they 
were  "better  men  than  the  Unyoros,  who  would  certainly  mur- 
der a  wounded  enemy  instead  of  giving  him  food  and  water." 

I  had  told  Umbogo  to  make  inquiries  as  to  the  safety  of  little 


KABBA  REGA'S  MESSENGERS.  389 

Cherri-Merri.  The  boy  was  unharmed,  as  he  had  been  taken 
away  before  the  fight. 

I  now  proved  that  the  cows  had  also  been  removed  during  the 
night  previous  to  the  attack,  as  I  had  suspected. 

During  the  day  vast  numbers  of  people  were  collected  at  a  large 
village  situated  on  a  knoll  about  seven  hundred  yards  from  our 
station  in  a  direct  line.  This  place,  we  were  informed,  was  now 
occupied  by  Kabba  Rega.  The  knoll  was  about  eighty  feet  low- 
er than  our  high  position ;  therefore,  as  we  had  now  roughly  cut 
down  the  grass,  we  looked  directly  upon  the  village. 

We  lost  no  time  in  erecting  the  large  astronomical  telescope 
upon  its  stand.  This  was  placed  upon  the  flat  gravel  approach 
in  front  of  the  government  divan,  and  through  the  powerful  glass 
we  could  distinguish  each  feature,  and  the  expression  of  every 
individual  countenance  of  the  crowd  within  the  village. 

During  the  day  messengers  arrived  from  Kabba  Rega  with  an 
official  explanation  of  the  misunderstanding.  They  declared  that 
it  was  entirely  the  fault  of  Matonse,  who  would  be  soon  captured  ; 
that  Kabba  Rega  desired  them  to  express  his  deep  regret.  "  Was 
he  not  my  son?  Did  he  not  depend  upon  the  protection  of  his 
father?"  He  only  begged  for  peace.  The  natives  had  been  kill- 
ed in  great  numbers;  therefore  "if  we  had  lost  a  few  soldiers, 
the  Unyoro  had  lost  many — so  the  affair  was  settled." 

I  told  them  that  nothing  could  ever  compensate  for  the  loss  of 
Monsoor,  who  had  been  so  treacherously  killed  ;  at  the  same  time, 
if  Kabba  Rega  could  prove  that  the  guilt  really  lay  with  Matonse, 
the  simple  plan  would  be  to  deliver  him  up  to  me. 

I  recalled  to  their  recollection  how  I  had  passed  ten  months 
in  Unyoro  in  the  reign  of  Kamrasi,  at  which  time  I  had  only  an 
escort  of  thirteen  men,  and  no  misunderstanding  had  ever  occur- 
red. I  explained  that  the  fault  was  not  on  my  side.  An  attempt 
had  been  made  to  poison  us  collectively ;  we  had  then  been  sur- 
prised by  a  thoroughly  organized  attack,  at  a  time  wdien  the 
troops  were  supposed  to  have  been  disabled  by  the  poison. 

Kabba  Rega  must  clear  his  character.  If  he  were  innocent,  I 
should  be  only  too  happy. 

The  matongale,  or  sheik,  who  was  the  principal  messenger,  as- 
sured me  that  Kabba  Rega  was  quite  in  despair,  and  that  he  had 
given  orders  for  provisions  and  a  large  quantity  of  ivory  to  be 
immediately  collected,  which  would  be  sent  to  us  on  the  day  fol- 
lowing in  charge  of  Rahonka  and  Kittakara. 

The  want  of  provisions  was  sorely  felt;  fortunately,  as  our 
cows  had  been  dying  daily,  the  troops  had  some  sweet-potatoes 


390 


ISM  AULA. 


that  bad  been  purchased  in  exchange  for  flesh.  These  would 
last  for  a  few  days. 

A  short  time  before  the  attack  I  had  promised  to  send  Kabba 
Rega  a  porcelain  cache-pot.  I  therefore  took  the  opportunity  of 
reminding  the  sheik  of  my  promise,  and  I  begged  him  to  deliver 
the  piece  of  china  to  Kabba  Rega  as  a  proof  of  my  peaceful  in- 
tentions, should  he  really  be  innocent  of  the  treachery. 

The  handsome  present  was  wrapped  up  in  red  Turkey-cloth, 
and  the  messengers  departed. 

I  watched  them  through  the  telescope,  and,  upon  their  arrival 
at  the  village  below  us,  I  distinctly  witnessed,  not  only  their  re- 
ception by  the  expectant  crowd,  but  the  cache-pot  was  unpacked 
and  held  at  arms-length  above  the  head,  to  be  exhibited  to  the 
admiring  people. 

This  looked  well.  My  officers  began  to  believe  in  peace;  and, 
although  I  still  had  strong  suspicions,  I  hoped  that  the  signal  de- 
feat that  Kabba  Rega's  army  had  sustained  had  so  far  cowed  them 
as  to  induce  a  termination  of  hostilities,  which  would  enable  me 
to  communicate  with  Major  Abdullah. 

The  luggage  from  the  government  divan  had  all  been  carried 
to  the  fort.  This  was  now  returned  to  our  original  quarters,  my 
wife  and  her  black  maids  working  hard  at  re-arranging  the  rooms. 

The  night  passed  quietly. 

On  June  10th  a  matongale  and  several  natives  arrived  from 
Kabba  Rega,  with  a  most  polite  message  and  friendly  assurances, 
accompanied  by  a  present  of  two  beautiful  white  cows. 

The  messengers  corroborated  the  statement  of  the  preceding 
day,  that  large  quantities  of  provisions  were  being  prepared  for 
us,  together  with  twenty  fine  elephants'  tusks,  whieh  were  to  be 
delivered  as  a  peace-offering  by  Rahonka  and  Kittakara  in  per- 
son. 

Affairs  looked  brighter.  It  was  my  best  policy  to  secure  peace, 
if  possible. 

I  determined  to  send  Kabba  Rega,  in  return  for  his  present  of 
cows,  the  large  Geneva  musical  box,  with  drums  and  bells,  which 
he  had  always  desired. 

No  one  knew  how  to  wind  it  up;  and  it  was  necessary  that 
some  person  should  accompany  it  with  the  native  messengers. 

The  clerk  of  the  detachment,  Ramadan,  who  has  already  been 
mentioned  as  a  favorite  with  the  natives,  and  a  good  linguist,  at 
once  volunteered  to  be  the  bearer  of  the  present.  Since  the  battle 
of  Masindi,  Ramadan  had  been  in  frequent  personal  communica- 
tion with  the  natives,  and  he  assured  me  that  there  was  a  general 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  MY  JOURNAL. 


391 


desire  for  peaceful  relations.  He  was  supposed  to  be  a  favorite 
of  Kabba  Rega's,  and  it  was  therefore  arranged  that  he  should 
accompany  the  musical  box,  which  was  a  good  load  for  a  fast- 
traveling  native. 

Hafiz,  the  farrier,  whose  occupation  was  nearly  gone  by  the 
death  of  all  the  horses  but  two,  volunteered  to  accompany  Ra- 
madan. I  ordered  them  to  go  unarmed,  as  their  peaceful  mission 
would  be  at  once  understood  ;  this  fact  would  establish  confi- 
dence among  the  natives. 

It  was  about  3  P.M.  when  they  started,  and  we  watched  their 
arrival  in  the  village  with  the  telescope,  where  they  appeared  to 
be  well  received. 

In  the  evening  they  both  returned  with  the  musical  box,  ac- 
companied by  the  sheik  who  was  to  be  their  guide,  as  Kabba 
Rega  had  retired  to  a  town  at  which  he  had  a  residence,  about 
half  a  day's  march  distant.  It  was  arranged  that  they  should 
start  on  the  following  morning. 

On  the  11th  of  June,  Ramadan  and  Hafiz,  together  with  the 
musical  box,  started,  and  we  watched  their  reception  at  the  vil- 
lage with  the  telescope.  I  had  released  Umbogo,  whom  I  had 
sent  to  Kabba  Rega  to  explain  all  that  he  had  seen  of  the  out- 
break, as  he  was  one  of  those  who  had  been  poisoned  by  the 
plantain  cider.  Umbogo  promised  to  return  as  soon  as  possible. 
The  dragoman,  Abou  Kooka,  remained  with  us  in  the  place  of 
Umbogo.  This  was  a  sullen-looking  brute,  who  had  been  a  slave 
stolen  from  the  Madi  tribe. 

I  must  now  take  an  extract  verbatim  from  my  journal,  as  that 
was  written  on  the  day  of  the  incident.  Any  warm  expressions 
in  this  extract  must  be  excused  as  a  natural  consequence,  for 
which  I  trust  due  allowance  will  be  granted : 

"  I  walked  round  the  burned  town  of  Masindi,  accompanied 
by  Julian  (Lieutenant  Baker),  Abd-el-Kader,  and  two  guards  of 
;The  Forty.'  Neither  Abd-el-Kader  nor  I  carried  guns,  as  I 
wished  to  establish  confidence  among  the  natives,  who  were 
searching  among  the  ashes  for  molotes. 

"I  sent  for  the  dragoman,  Abou  Kooka,  and  conversed  with 
the  natives,  assuring  them  of  peace,  and  that  I  had  no  ill-will 
against  Kabba  Rega,  if  Matonse  was  the  cause  of  the  outbreak. 
At  the  same  time  I  told  them  to  bring  provisions  for  sale. 

"  They  seemed  very  shy,  and  replied  that  '  all  would  be  right 
when  the  messengers  should  arrive  from  Kabba  Rega.'  One  by 
one  they  went  away,  until  only  two  were  left.  Julian  gave  his 
gun  to  one  of  the  guards. 


ISMAILlA. 


"  The  two  natives  were  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  high  grass 
close  to  the  ashes  of  the  town,  and  they  appeared  more  confident, 
as  they  conversed  with  us  at  about  twelve  yards'  distance. 

"  Presently  they  said  they  would  come  close  to  us,  were  it  not 
for  their  fear  of  the  two  sentries  with  their  rifles,  who  were  about 
forty  yards  in  our  rear. 

''I  turned  round  to  order  the  sentries  to  retire  a  little.  The 
instant  that  my  back  was  turned,  one  of  the  treacherous  brutes 
hurled  his  spear  at  me,  which  stuck  quivering  in  the  earth  at  my 
feet !  At  the  same  moment  they  bolted  into  the  high  grass,  ac- 
companied by  our  dragoman,  Abou  Kooka,  and  disappeared  at  once 
like  fish  in  water. 

"  The  treachery  of  the  negro  is  beyond  belief ;  he  has  not  a 
moral  human  instinct,  and  is  below  the  brute.  How  is  it  pos- 
sible to  improve  such  abject  animals?  They  are  not  worth  the 
trouble,  and  they  are  only  fit  for  slaves,  to  which  position  their 
race  appears  to  have  been  condemned. 

"I  believe  I  have  wasted  my  time  and  energy,  and  have  use- 
lessly encountered  difficulties,  and  made  enemies  by  my  attempt 
to  suppress  the  slave-trade,  and  thus  improve  the  condition  of 
the  natives. 

"  It  is  now  4.40  p.m.,  and  I  am  anxious  about  Ramadan  and 
Hafiz,  who  have  not  returned. 

"My  men  have  been  on  half-rations  since  the  8th  inst.,  and  we 
have  supplies  only  for  to-morrow,  after  which  we  shall  be  obliged 
to  forage,  unless  Kabba  Rega  sends  the  promised  provisions. 

"It  is  impossible  to  believe  one  word  in  this  accursed  country. 
At  the  same  time  that  Kabba  Rega  declares  peace  and  good-will, 
lie  may  be  planning  a  surprise.  I  do  not  think,  however,  that 
his  people  will  be  in  a  hurry  to  fight  after  the  lesson  they  re- 
ceived on  the  8th  inst. 

"Nevertheless,  fighting  is  dangerous  work  in  this  country  of 
high  grass,  where  troops  can  not  see  to  manoeuvre,  and  where 
the  ground  is  everywhere  favorable  for  native  ambuscades." 

When  I  returned  to  the  divan  with  the  spear  that  had  so  nar- 
rowly missed  me,  through  the  cowardice  of  the  assailant  (who 
should  have  made  sure  of  me,  had  he  not  been  nervous),  my  wife 
was  not  cheered  by  the  little  incident.  She  had  had  the  same 
experience  as  myself  in  African  natures,  and  she  immediately  de- 
clared against  the  pretended  sincerity  of  Kabba  Rega. 

I  had  serious  misgivings.  Nothing  can  happen  in  Unyoro 
without  the  order  of  the  king.  The  superstitious  veneration  for 
the  possessor  of  the  magic  throne  produces  a  profound  obedience. 


NIGHT  INCENDIARISM. 


393 


On  the  other  hand,  this  attempt  at  murder  might  have  been 
only  the  revenge  of  an  individual  who  had  perhaps  lost  his  house 
and  property  in  the  conflagration  of  Masindi. 

The  evening  arrived  without  tidings  of  either  Kamadan  or 
Umbogo.    I  was  now  without  an  interpreter. 

The  troops,  and  their  wives  and  effects,  occupied  the  fort,  and 
the  officers'  quarters  and  camp  had  been  abandoned. 

It  was  about  8  P.M.,  and  dinner  being  over,  I  was  smoking  my 
pipe  in  the  divan,  conversing  with  my  wife  and  Lieutenant  Baker 
upon  the  situation  of  affairs,  when  a  sudden  bright  glare  attract- 
ed my  attention. 

An  officer  immediately  reported  that  the  abandoned  quarters 
were  in  a  blaze  of  fire  ! 

I  was  of  course  ready  in  an  instant,  and  armed,  and  accompa- 
nied by  my  wife  and  Mr.  Baker,  I  really  enjoyed  the  beauty  of  the 
scene  in  that  moment  of  anxiety. 

Without  the  slightest  noise,  or  even  an  audible  whisper,  the 
troops  were  all  in  position,  kneeling  on  the  ground  in  open  order 
around  the  fort  and  the  divan,  keeping  the  most  vigilant  watch 
for  the  appearance  of  an  enemy.  The  flames  from  the  camp  rose 
about  seventy  feet  high.  There  was  not  a  breath  of  air;  thus 
the  fire  danced  and  leaped  up  to  its  extreme  height,  and  illu- 
mined the  neighborhood  for  a  great  distance. 

Not  an  enemy  was  to  be  seen.  The  soldiers  were  like  statues, 
and  there  was  no  sound  except  the  roaring  of  flames. 

Suddenly  loud  yells  broke  out  from  a  distance  of  about  two 
hundred  yards  from  the  farthest  side  of  the  fort,  as  though  from 
a  considerable  body  of  men.    Not  a  soldier  stirred  or  spoke. 

I  had  cleared  the  grass  around  the  fort  and  station,  therefore 
it  was  impossible  to  approach  us  unobserved. 

The  natives  must  have  crept  up  stealthily,  and  fired  the  aban- 
doned camp  in  the  expectation  that  the  troops  would  have  rush- 
ed down  to  extinguish  the  flames,  and  thus  the  fort  and  the  di- 
van would  have  been  at  the  mercy  of  an  attack  from  the  dark 
side. 

I  immediately  sent  a  strong  patrol  around  the  station,  but  not 
a  soul  was  visible.    The  attempt  had  failed. 

Once  more  the  luggage,  with  beds,  boxes,  etc.,  was  transported 
from  the  divan  to  the  fort;  and  with  the  assistance  of  Lieutenant 
Baker,  I  built  a  quadrangular  wall  of  boxes  like  huge  bricks,  to 
form  a  protection  for  my  wife,  in  the  event  of  a  night  attack  with 
fire-arms. 

The  night  passed  quietly.    On  June  12th  I  watched  the  na- 


394 


IS  MAIL! A. 


tives  with  the  telescope,  and  I  observed  that  many  of  the  crowd 
were  gesticulating  in  an  excited  manner. 

I  was  almost  convinced  that  wTe  were  again  subjected  to  the 
foulest  treachery,  and  I  was  extremely  anxious  about  Ramadan 
and  Ilafiz.  I  could  hardly  believe  it  possible  that  these  poor 
men,  unarmed,  and  carrying  a  valuable  present,  would  be  cruelly 
murdered. 

The  day  passed  in  hope  and  expectation  of  their  return.  Late 
in  the  evening  the  act  of  incendiarism  of  the  preceding  night  was 
renewed,  and  the  deserted  house  of  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  was  in 
a  bright  blaze,  without  a  native  beino-  visible. 

No  yells  were  heard,  nor  any  other  sound.  The  troops  turned 
out  with  their  usual  quiet  discipline,  but  not  a  shot  was  fired. 

The  13th  of  June  arrived.  Still  there  were  no  tidings  of  either 
Umbogo,  Ramadan,  or  Hafiz.  I  now  felt  convinced  that  the 
young  villain,  Kabba  Rega,  had  played  me  false,  and  that  he  was 
only  gaining  time  to  collect  and  organize  the  whole  force  of  Un- 
yoro  to  attack  us,  and  to  line  the  path  to  Rionga  with  ambus- 
cades. 

It  is  impossible  to  this  day  to  say  whether  Umbogo  was  true 
or  false.  I  never  saw  him  again  ;  and  the  unfortunate  Ramadan 
and  Hafiz  were  wantonly  murdered. 

At  about  10  a.m.,  June  13th,  we  wrere  let  into  the  secret  of 
Kabba  Rega's  villainy.  A  sudden  rush  of  natives  was  made 
upon  the  cattle,  which  were  grazing  within  sixty  yards  of  the 
fort!  Poisoned  arrows  were  shot,  and  we  at  once  observed  that 
a  general  attack  was  made  upon  the  station.  Guns  fired;  the 
bullets  whistled  over  our  heads,  and  I  thought  I  recognized  the 
crack  of  our  lost  Sniders  (those  of  Monsoor  and  Ferritch),  that 
were  employed  against  us. 

The  curtain  had  now  risen.  When  the  actual  fighting  arrived, 
there  was  some  little  relaxation  from  the  intense  anxiety  of  mind 
that  I  had  suffered  for  some  days. 

I  at  once  ordered  the  men  into  line,  and  the  bugles  and  drums 
sounded  the  charge  with  the  bayonet — that  I  had  always  taught 
my  men  to  depend  upon. 

The  gallant  "Forty  Thieves"  led  the  way,  with  drums  beating 
and  a  hearty  cheer,  and  dashed  through  the  ruins  of  the  town 
and  straight  into  the  high  grass  on  the  other  side,  from  which 
the  cowardly  enemy  fled  like  hares. 

On  our  return  to  the  station,  I  took  a  Snider,  and  practically 
explained  to  the  rascals  in  the  village  on  the  knoll  what  long 
range  meant,  sending  several  bullets  into  the  midst  of  a  crowd 


A  MARCH  DETERMINED  UPON. 


395 


that  scattered  them  like  chaff.  I  at  once  ordered  Colonel  Abd- 
el-Kader  to  take  eighty  men  and  some  blue-lights,  and  to  destroy 
every  village  in  the  neighborhood.  The  attack  was  made  on  the 
instant.  The  large  village,  about  seven  hundred  yards  distant, 
which  I  had  raked  with  the  fire  of  a  few  Sniders,  while  Abd-el- 
Kader  descended  the  slope  to  the  attack,  was  soon  a  mass  of  roll- 
ing flames.  In  an  hour's  time  volumes  of  smoke  were  rising  in 
various  directions. 

My  active  and  gallant  colonel  returned,  having  driven  the  ene- 
my from  every  position,  and  utterly  destroyed  the  neighborhood. 

I  had  made  up  my  mind.  There  could  be  no  longer  any 
doubt  of  the  diabolical  treachery  of  Kabba  Kega,  He  had  only 
endeavored  to  gain  time  by  specious  assurances  of  good- will, 
combined  with  presents,  in  order  to  organize  the  whole  country 
against  us.  The  natives  who  shot  arrows  must  have  come  from 
Magungo,  as  none  of  the  other  districts  were  armed  with  bows. 
The  arrows  that  had  been  shot  at  us,  which  my  men  had  collect- 
ed, were  thickly  poisoned  with  a  hard  gummy  matter. 

It  was  now  rendered  certain  that  a  snare  had  been  laid  for  the 
massacre  of  Major  Abdullah's  party. 

Kabba  Ee^a  had  no  doubt  ordered  the  various  routes  toward 
Rionga's  province  to  be  ambuscaded. 

I  determined  at  once  to  push  straight  for  the  camp  at  Foweera, 
on  the  Victoria  Nile,  as  Rionga's  island  was  about  fifteen  miles 
from  that  point. 

Among  the  men  of  the  "Forty  Thieves"  there  was  a  soldier 
named  Abdullah,  who  had  an  extraordinary  instinct  for  finding 
his  way.  This  man  never  forgot  a  path  if  he  had  ever  traveled 
upon  the  same  route. 

I  also  depended  upon  my  Baris  and  Molodi,  although  they 
had  not  had  any  long  experience  of  the  path  by  which  we  had 
arrived  from  Foweera  with  the  herd  of  cattle. 

Unfortunately,  the  country  had  changed  terribly  by  the  im- 
mense growth  of  the  grass  and  tangled  creepers. 

I  felt  sure  that  the  route  would  be  occupied  by  the  enemy 
throughout  the  whole  distance,  and  that  we  should  have  to  fight 
every  mile  of  the  path  at  a  grave  disadvantage. 

The  question  of  a  supply  of  food  was  vital.  The  men  had 
mostly  exhausted  their  provisions. 

At  this  critical  moment,  when  every  man  of  the  expedition 
felt  the  fatal  truth,  my  wife  confided  her  secret  that  she  had  hith- 
erto concealed,  lest  the  knowledge  of  a  hidden  store  should  have 
made  the  men  extravagant.    She  now  informed  the  officers  and 


396 


ISMAIL'lA. 


men  that  in  past  days  of  plenty,  when  flour  had  been  abundant, 
she  had,  from  time  to  time,  secreted  a  quantity,  and  she  had  now 
six  large  iron  boxes  full  (about  twelve  bushels).  This  private 
store  she  had  laid  by  in  the  event  of  some  sudden  emergency. 

"God  shall  give  her  a  long  life!"  exclaimed  both  officers  and 
men.  We  had  now  enough  flour  for  the  march  of  seven  days  to 
Foweera,  at  which  place  there  were  regular  forests  of  plantains. 

My  herd  of  cattle  had  been  reduced  to  seventy,  and  I  much 
doubted  the  possibility  of  driving  them  in  a  high  grass  country, 
as  they  would  scatter  and  make  a  stampede  should  we  be  at- 
tacked; they  would  be  scared  by  the  guns. 

I  mustered  my  force  and  spoke  to  my  men,  to  whom  I  ex- 
plained their  exact  position,  and  my  plan  of  action. 

I  should  immediately  divide  among  them  as  presents  all  the 
cotton  stuffs  that  belonged  to  the  expedition. 

Each  man  wrould  carry  three  pounds  of  beads  in  his  knapsack, 
one-third  of  which  should  subsequently  belong  to  him. 

The  line  of  march  would  be  thus  arranged — a  Bari,  who  pro- 
fessed to  know  the  path,  would  lead  the  advance-guard  of  fifteen 
Sniders,  commanded  by  Lieutenant -colonel  Abd  -  el  -  Kader,  sup- 
ported by  myself  with  ten  Sniders  in  charge  of  the  ammunition, 
accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker,  my  wife,  and  two  servants, 
carrying  double  breech-loading  elephant-rifles.  The  rear-guard 
would  consist  of  fifteen  Sniders.  The  few  remaining  Sniders 
would  be  distributed  along  the  line. 

Neither  the  advance  nor  rear  guard  would  carry  any  loads 
beyond  their  knapsacks  and  a  small  bag  of  flour.  Five  of  the 
Sniders  with  me  would  also  be  exempted  from  carrying  loads; 
but  every  other  soldier,  and  every  woman  and  boy,  would  carry 
either  one  of  the  metal  boxes  or  some  other  package. 

I  explained  to  the  men  that  they  would  be  attacked  through- 
out the  route  at  a  great  disadvantage,  but  that  success  would  de- 
pend upon  the  strict  observance  of  orders  for  the  march,  com- 
bined with  the  utmost  coolness. 

Each  man  was  to  keep  just  near  enough  to  be  able  to  touch 
with  his  outstretched  hand  the  knapsack  of  the  man  before  him, 
and  upon  no  account  to  widen  this  distance,  but  to  keep  the  line 
intact.  Should  it  be  broken  by  the  sudden  rush  of  the  enemy, 
we  should  at  once  be  lost. 

Should  the  attack  be  made  simultaneously  on  both  sides,  al- 
ternate files  would  face  to  right  and  left,  place  their  loads  upon 
the  ground,  and  fire  low  down  in  the  grass,  as  the  natives  always 
crouched  after  throwing  a  spear  from  covert. 


ORDERS  FOR  THE  MARCH. 


397 


A  bugler  would  accompany  the  colonel  commanding  the  ad- 
vance-guard, in  addition  to  buglers  with  myself  and  the  rear- 
guard; thus  we  should  be  able  to  communicate  along  the  line, 
which  would  be  concealed  from  view  by  the  high  grass. 

On  arrival  at  water,  and  in  crossing  either  swamps  or  streams, 
no  man  or  woman  was  to  stop  to  drink  unless  the  bugle  of  the 
advance-guard  sounded  halt. 

No  woman  would  be  allowed  to  speak  during  the  march,  as 
profound  silence  must  be  observed. 

The  officers  and  men  received  their  instructions,  merely  de- 
claring that,  wherever  I  should  lead  them,  they  would  follow  me 
and  obey. 

I  at  once  divided  the  effects  that  could  be  carried  into  the 
requisite  number  of  loads,  which  were  carefully  packed  in  metal 
boxes  by  my  wife  and  her  black  maids.  It  was  hard  and  anx- 
ious work.  The  strongest  men  were  selected  to  carry  the  boxes 
of  Snider  cartridges,  which  weighed  sixty-four  pounds  each. 

All  the  rest  of  the  baggage  I  arranged  in  piles,  and  distributed 
in  the  government  divan  and  the  various  houses.  I  spread  my 
large  tent  over  the  luggage  in  the  divan,  and  poured  over  it  a 
quantity  of  nitrous  ether,  spirits  of  wine,  lamp-oil,  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine, and  all  the  contents  of  the  large  medicine-chest. 

I  filled  up  my  small  chest,  and  took  a  good  roll  of  adhesive 
plaster,  a  number  of  bandages,  and  a  roll  of  lint. 

Upon  the  tent-cloth,  rendered  highly  inflammable  by  the  sat- 
uration of  spirits  and  oil,  I  laid  about  sixty  rockets. 

My  two  horses  and  three  donkeys  would  be  loaded  with  bag- 
gage. 

I  gave  orders  for  the  march  early  on  the  following  morning. 
The  rear-guard  was  to  set  tire  to  the  station, -which  was  the  re- 
sult of  our  industry  and  labor  in  this  land  of  detestable  savages. 

SO 


398 


ISMAILlA. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  MARCH  TO  RIONGA. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  June,  1872,  at  9.30,  the  ad- 
vance-guard filed  along  the  gravel -path,  and  halted  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  station  at  Masindi.  The  line  was  complete,  accord- 
ing to  the  orders  for  the  march.    Not  a  word  was  spoken. 

A  light,  drizzling  rain  fell,  and  the  sky  was  a  dull  gray. 

I  looked  back,  and  waited  for  the  destruction  of  my  favorite 
station.  In  our  little  house  we  had  left  pictures  of  my  own  chil- 
dren, and  every  thing  that  was  not  absolutely  necessary  to  our 
existence.  Even  the  Queen  and  the  Princess  of  Wales  were  to 
perish  in  the  conflagration,  together  with  much  that  was  parted 
with  in  this  moment  of  exigency. 

The  smoke  now  curled  in  thick,  white  folds  from  the  govern- 
ment divan  and  our  own  private  house. 

Lieutenant  Baker's  new  house  was  ignited.  One  by  one  every 
hut  was  fired.  The  rear-guard,  having  done  their  duty,  closed 
up  in  the  line  of  march. 

I  did  not  give  the  word  "  forward !"  until  the  flames  had  shot 
up  high  in  the  air,  and  the  station  was  in  the  possession  of  the 
fire.  At  this  moment  a  loud  report  announced  that  all  the  rock- 
ets had  exploded.  The  advance-guard  moved  forward,  and  the 
march  commenced. 

We  soon  entered  the  high  grass,  which  was  reeking  with  the 
light  rain,  and  we  were  wet  through  in  an  instant. 

My  wife  was  walking  close  behind  me,  with  a  quantity  of  spare 
ammunition  for  the  "  Dutchman "  in  her  breast.  She  had  a 
Colt's  revolver  in  her  belt.  Lieutenant  Baker  was  heavily  load- 
ed, as  he  carried  a  Purdy  rifle  slung  across  his  back,  together 
with  a  large  bag  of  ammunition,  while  he  held  a  double  breech- 
loader smooth-bore  in  his  hand,  with  a  bag  of  heavy  buck-shot 
cartridges  upon  his  shoulder. 

Suleiman  and  Mohammed  Haroon  (our  servants)  were  close  by, 
with  my  two  breech-loading  No.  8  elephant-rifles.  These  carried 
picrate  of  potash  shells  that  were  immensely  powerful.  Very  lit- 
tle would  have  been  left  of  the  body  of  a  man  had  one  of  such 
shells  struck  him  in  the  chest. 


EOWARTI  IS  SPEARED. 


399 


The  cattle  bes;an  to  cause  much  trouble  as  soon  as  the  march 
commenced,  and  we  slowly  descended  the  knoll  upon  which  the 
station  stood,  and  in  single  file  entered  the  extremely  narrow 
path  which  led  down  to  a  small  swamp. 

Crossing  the  swamp  through  deep  mud,  we  arrived  on  firm 
ground,  and  continued  to  march  slowly  on  account  of  the  cattle. 
I  felt  sure  they  would  have  to  be  abandoned.  The  cows  strayed 
to  the  right  and  left,  and  Morgian,  the  Bari,  and  Abdullah  Djoor, 
the  cook,  who  were  the  drovers,  were  rushing  about  the  grass  in 
pursuit  of  refractory  animals,  that  would  shortly  end  in  being 
speared  by  the  enemy. 

We  thus  marched  slowly  forward  for  about  a  mile  before  a 
hostile  sound  was  heard.  We  then  distinguished  the  tumultuous 
voices  of  the  natives  in  the  rear,  who  had  been  attracted  to  the 
station  by  the  general  conflagration. 

The  slow  march  continued,  through  grass  about  eight  feet  high, 
and  occasional  forest.  The  rain  now  descended  steadily,  and  I 
feared  that  the  old  muzzle-loading  muskets  would  miss  fire. 

The  sound  of  drums  and  horns  was  now  heard  throughout  the 
country,  as  the  alarm  spread  rapidly  from  village  to  village.  We 
could  hear  the  shouts  of  natives,  and  drums  that  were  now  sound- 
ing in  the  forest  upon  a  hill  on  our  right.  These  people  were 
evidently  in  possession  of  a  path  unknown  to  us  which  ran  par- 
allel to  our  route. 

For  seven  hours  the  march  continued  with  such  frequent  halts, 
owing  to  the  straying  of  the  cattle,  that  we  had  only  progressed 
the  short  distance  often  miles,  when,  at  4.40  P.M.,  we  entered  the 
valley  of  Jori  Joke.  We  saw  before  us  the  hill  covered  with 
plantain  groves  where  we  had  slept  when  upon  the  march  to 
Masindi. 

The  grass  was  very  high,  and  the  path  hardly  a  foot  wide,  and 
only  resembling  a  sheep-run.  Suddenly  the  advance-guard  open- 
ed a  hot  fire,  and  the  bugle  sounded  "  halt!" 

A  few  paces  in  front  of  me,  my  favorite  sailor  and  fisherman. 
Howarti,  was  in  the  line,  carrying  a  metal  box  upon  his  head. 
In  addition  to  his  musket,  which  was  slung  across  his  shoulders, 
I  had  given  him  one  of  my  double  breech-loading  pistols,  which 
he  carried  in  his  belt. 

The  word  was  suddenly  passed  that  Howarti  was  speared ! 

Lances  now  flew  across  the  path,  and  the  line  opened  fire  into 
the  grnss  upon  our  right,  according  to  orders. 

I  immediately  went  up  to  Howarti.  I  found  him  sitting  upon 
the  ground  by  the  side  of  his  box,  in  the  act  of  reloading  his  pis- 


400 


ISMAILI'A. 


tol  with  a  Boxer  cartridge.  A  lance  bad  struck  him  in  the  fleshy 
part  of  the  right  arm,  just  below  the  point  of  junction  with  the 
shoulder,  and,  passing  through  his  body,  it  had  protruded  from 
his  stomach.  Upon  feeling  the  wound,  Howarti  had  dropped  his 
load,  and  drawing  his  pistol,  he  shot  the  native  dead  as  he  leaped 
from  his  ambush  to  recover  the  lance  which  was  sticking  in  the 
poor  fellow's  body. 

Here  was  another  of  my  best  men  sacrificed.  Howarti  had 
always  been  a  true,  good  man,  and  he  had  just  exhibited  his  cool 
courage.    He  had  himself  pulled  the  spear  from  his  body.' 

My  wife  had  followed  me  immediately  upon  hearing  that 
Howarti  was  injured.  He  had  reloaded  his  pistol,  but  in  reply 
to  my  question  whether  he  could  sit  upon  a  donkey,  he  fainted. 
I  roughly  bandaged  him  for  the  present  moment,  and  we  laid 
him  upon  an  angareb  (stretcher-bedstead),  but  the  men  were  so 
heavily  laden  that  it  was  difficult  to  find  supporters.  Lieutenant 
Baker  kindly  took  one  end  upon  his  shoulder,  and,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  the  advance-guard,  we  carried  him  forward.  The 
bugle  sounded  the  "advance." 

Again  the  lances  flew  across  the  path,  but  a  few  shots  with 
the  Sniders  cleared  the  way,  and  leaving  the  narrow  route,  we 
broke  our  way  through  the  tangled  grass,  and  ascended  the  slope 
to  the  plantain  forest.  Here,  thank  goodness,  there  was  no  grass. 
The  bugle  sounded  "  halt"  in  the  middle  of  the  plantains. 

Sentries  having  been  posted,  every  man  was  now  employed  in 
felling  the  tall  plantain-trees,  and  in  arranging  them  to  form  a 
wall  around  the  camp. 

One  blow  of  a  sharp,  heavy  sabre  will  cut  through  the  stem : 
thus  in  a  short  time,  as  we  all  worked,  a  clearing  of  about  an 
acre  was  made,  and  by  sunset  we  had  piled  them  so  as  to  form  a 
tolerable  protection  from  lances. 

Throughout  the  day  it  had  never  ceased  raining ;  thus  every 
one  was  soaking  and  miserable.  Of  course  we  had  no  tent,  but 
some  invaluable  mackintosh  camp-sheets.  I  had  examined  Ho- 
ward's wounds,  which  I  knew  were  mortal.  The  air,  as  he 
breathed,  was  rattling  through  the  gash  in  his  stomach.  I  wash- 
ed and  bandaged  him  carefully,  and  gave  him  a  dose  of  brandy 
and  laudanum. 

No  one  had  a  drop  of  water  to  drink,  neither  did  any  one 
know  the  direction  of  the  well ;  but  as  all  were  cold,  and  wet 
through,  no  person  suffered  from  thirst.  Fortunate^,  we  had 
matches  in  a  small  silver  case  that  had  resisted  the  damp;  and 
after  some  difficulty  and  delay,  fires  were  blazing  through  the 


THE  CATTLE  ABANDONED. 


401 


little  bivouac,  and  the  soldiers  and  women  were  crouching  round 
them. 

We  were  comfortable  that  night,  as  we  had  beds  to  lie  upon; 
but  I  felt  sure  it  would  be  for  the  last  time,  as  it  would  be  neces- 
sary to  destroy  much  luggage,  the  men  being  too  heavily  laden. 

All  was  at  length  still;  the  soldiers,  who  were  all  tired,  went 
to  sleep,  with  the  exception  of  the  sentries,  who  were  well  on  the 
alert. 

As  I  lay  on  my  bed,  I  thought  of  the  morrow.  I  knew  we 
should  have  a  trying  time,  as  the  whole  country  would  now  be 
thoroughly  organized  against  us.  Our  start  from  Masindi  had 
taken  them  by  surprise ;  thus  we  had  not  met  with  much  resist- 
ance ;  but  to-morrow  would  be  a  fighting  day,  and  I  made  up 
my  mind  to  leave  the  cattle  to  themselves,  as  it  would  be  simply 
impossible  to  drive  them. 

The  night  passed  without  an  attack. 

On  the  following  morning,  June  15th,  poor  Howarti  was  evi- 
dently about  to  die,  but  the  plucky  fellow  faintly  said  that  he 
could  ride  a  donkey  if  assisted.  It  was  impossible  to  carry  him, 
as  the  path  was  too  narrow  for  four  people  to  walk  beneath  a 
stretcher.  He  was  placed  upon  a  donkey,  and  supported  with 
difficulty  by  a  man  at  his  side. 

I  was  obliged  to  pile  upon  the  fire  a  number  of  things  that  we 
could  not  carry,  including  the  large  oaken  stand  of  the  astro- 
nomical telescope. 

It  was  7.30  a.m.  before  we  started. 

The  troublesome  cattle  at  once  began  to  stray,  and  I  immedi- 
ately ordered  them  to  be  abandoned.  I  felt  certain  that  in  the 
event  of  a  general  attack  they  would  have  created  great  con- 
fusion, by  probably  rushing  down  the  line  and  overturning  the 
men. 

It  was  the  greatest  relief  to  be  rid  of  the  animals ;  thus  we 
marched  on  merrily  at  about  two  and  a  half  miles  an  hour, 
through  the  usual  narrow  path  amidst  gigantic  grass  (now  about 
nine  feet  high)  and  thick  forest. 

In  about  an  hour  and  a  half  we  arrived  at  a  descent,  toward  a 
bottom  in  which  there  was  a  broad,  open  swamp,  with  a  stream 
running  through  the  centre. 

The  advance-guard  was  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards  from 
the  bottom,  and  the  line  was  descending  the  hill  in  close  order, 
when  a  sudden  uproar  broke  out,  as  though  all  the  demons  of 
hell  had  broken  loose.  Yells,  screams,  drums,  horns,  whistles 
from  many  thousand  concealed  enemies  for  an  instant  startled  the 


402 


TSMAILlA. 


troops  !  A  tremendous  rush  in  the  grass  gave  notice  of  a  general 
attack  from  an  immensely  powerful  ambuscade.  The  officers 
did  their  duty. 

Every  load  was  upon  the  ground,  and  in  a  moment  alternate 
files  were  facing  to  the  right  and  left,  kneeling  just  as  the  lances 
began  to  fly  across  the  path.  The  bugles  rang  out  "fire,"  and 
the  fight  commenced  on  our  side. 

I  saw  several  lances  pass  within  an  inch  or  two  of  my  wife's 
head;  luckily,  we  were  kneeling  on  one  knee.  The  file-firing 
was  extremely  good,  and  the  Sniders  rattled  without  intermis- 
sion. The  grass  was  so  dense  that  simple  buck-shot  would  be 
reduced  to  a  very  limited  range,  although  excellent  at  close  quar- 
ters. The  servants  quickly  handed  the  elephant  breech-loaders, 
and  a  double  shot  to  the  right  and  left  was  followed  by  the  loud 
explosion  of  the  picrate  of  potash  shells  against  some  unseen  ob- 
jects, either  men  or  trees. 

A  quick  repetition  of  the  picrate  shells  seemed  to  affect  the 
spirit  of  the  attack.  I  imagine  that  the  extremely  loud  explosion 
of  the  shells  in  the  midst,  and  perhaps  also  in  the  rear  of  the  en- 
emy, led  them  to  suppose  that  they  were  attacked  from  behind. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  how  long  the  attack  continued,  but  a  vast 
amount  of  ammunition  was  expended  before  the  lances  ceased 
to  fly  through  the  line,  and  the  drums  and  horns  were  at  length 
heard  at  a  greater  distance  in  the  rear.  The  bugle  at  once  sound- 
ed the  "advance,"  and  I  marched  the  men  forward,  crossing  the 
stream  at  the  bottom,  and  gained  the  open,  where  we  found  our- 
selves in  a  kind  of  swampy  field  of  about  ten  acres.  "Ha!"  ex- 
claimed many  of  the  soldiers,  "  if  we  could  only  get  them  on  a 
clear  space  like  this." 

The  men  were  mustered.  Poor  Howarti  was  dead,  and  they 
had  left  him  in  the  grass  by  the  roadside,  as  it  was  impossible  to 
transport  him. 

The  rear-guard  had  been  hotly  pressed,  and  the  natives  had 
rushed  upon  the  path  close  to  the  Sniders,  which  had  punished 
them  severely.  Had  we  depended  upon  muzzle-loading  muskets, 
the  party  must  have  been  quickly  destroyed ;  the  sharp  fire  of 
the  Sniders  at  close  quarters  must  have  caused  immense  loss  at 
the  first  onset. 

I  now  determined  to  lighten  the  loads  considerablv.  It  was 
difficult  to  carry  the  angarebs,  as  the  legs  caught  in  the  high 
grass.  I  spoke  a  few  words  to  my  men,  who  declared  that  they 
were  not  afraid  of  the  natives  if  they  were  not  so  heavily  laden. 

We  collected  wood,  and  made  a  fire,  upon  which  I  ordered  ev- 


Lid  HTEN1NG  THE  LOADS. 


403 


ery  thing  to  be  burned  that  was  really  cumbersome.  The  bed- 
steads were  broken  up ;  a  case  of  good  French  cognac  was  com- 
mitted to  the  flames;  Lieutenant  Baker's  naval  uniform,  with 
box,  etc. ;  the  cocked  hat  frizzled  up  on  the  top  of  the  bonfire. 
The  men  were  provided  with  rawhides,  upon  which  they  slept 
at  night;  these  were  now  wet  through,  and  cumbersome :  I  there- 
fore ordered  them  to  be  thrown  into  the  high  grass  and  aban- 
doned. 

The  brandy-bottles  burst  upon  the  fire.  A  sergeant  of  the 
"Forty  Thieves,"  named  Fadlullah,  had  been  attending  to  the 
heap  of  burning  materials,  and  I  saw  him  stoop  over  the  flames 
as  though  intending  to  save  one  of  the  liquor-bottles  for  himself. 
At  this  moment  several  burst,  and  saturated  his  loose  cotton 
trowsers  with  blazing  spirits.  The  man  vainly  endeavored  to 
extinguish  the  fire,  and  he  danced  wildly  about,  until  I  seized 
and  threw  him  down  in  the  swamp,  and  quickly  drew  the  wet 
green  grass  over  him  and  subdued  the  flames.  He  was  severely 
burned  about  the  legs,  from  which  the  skin  slipped  off  in  large 
flakes. 

I  now  had  to  doctor  him,  when  every  man's  legs  ought  to  have 
been  in  the  best  order.  Fortunately  I  had  a  little  oil  (for  the 
lamp),  and  the  wounds  were  quickly  dressed,  and  bandaged  with 
cotton-wool  and  lint. 

The  force  was  now  much  relieved,  as  the  loads  had  been  light- 
ened. During  the  operation  of  burning  the  supplies,  the  best 
shots  of  the  "  Forty  Thieves  "  had  been  stationed  to  pick  off  any 
natives  who  attempted  to  spy  our  movements  by  ascending  the 
lofty  trees. 

I  now  gave  the  order  for  the  advance,  and  the  march  recom- 
menced. In  a  few  minutes  we  were  once  more  buried  in  the  gi- 
gantic grass  jungle. 

We  had  hardly  entered  the  covert,  when  the  shouts  and  blow- 
ing of  horns  and  beating  of  drums  once  more  commenced.  This 
was  the  signal  to  ambuscades  in  front  that  we  were  moving  for- 
ward. 

In  the  course  of  an  hour's  march,  the  rear  bugle  had  sounded 
"halt"  at  least  half  a  dozen  times,  as  two  of  the  donkeys  were 
weakly,  and  could  not  be  driven  on  without  difficulty. 

Again  the  rear  bugle  sounded  "  halt!"  I  immediately  sent  the 
sergeant  of  the  body-guard,  Mohammed-el-Feel,  to  shoot  the  don- 
keys, and  to  throw  their  loads  into  the  high  grass.  Two  shots 
announced  the  end  of  the  donkeys. 

The  bugle  sounded  "advance,"  and  we  at  length  traveled  com- 


404 


fortably.  The  weather  was  fine:  we  rejoiced  in  the  sun,  as  it 
dried  our  reeking  clothes. 

Suddenly  the  advance-guard  opened  fire;  then  the  rear-guard 
was  closed  upon  by  a  sudden  rush  of  the  enemy,  and  the  whole 
line  commenced  file-firing  into  the  thick  covert. 

I  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  "forward,"  and  "cease  firing," 
as  the  men  were  getting  a  little  wild. 

One  of  "  The  Forty,"  Ali  Goboor,  bad  been  wounded  by  a 
lance  through  the  leg,  but  he  managed  to  limp  along. 

We  now  began  to  understand  the  places  at  which  we  were  sure 
to  meet  an  ambuscade.  Whenever  we  descended  a  slope  toward 
a  marshy  bottom,  there  was  certain  to  be  a  large  force  concealed 
behind  the  lofty  reeds  that  grew  in  the  swamp.  I  ordered  the 
advance-guard  to  fire  a  few  shots  low  down  in  the  reeds  when- 
ever they  should  approach  these  places.  By  this  plan  we  gener- 
ally induced  the  enemy  to  throw  their  spears  before  we  were  in 
the  midst;  in  which  case  we  opened  a  heavy  fire  into  the  grass, 
and  marched  straight  forward. 

The  ambuscades  had  been  carefully  planned.  A  row  of  grass 
of  perhaps  two  or  three  yards  in  thickness  was  left  standing  in  its 
natural  position  along  the  path ;  behind  this  vegetable  wall  the 
grass  had  been  either  cut  down  or  torn  up,  so  as  to  afford  a  clear 
space  for  the  natives  to  take  a  good  run  when  throwing  their 
lances.  They  accordingly  waited  until  we  should  enter  the 
snare,  and  the}'  calculated  their  opportunity  for  making  a  com- 
bined attack  when  they  considered  that  our  line  of  march  was 
exactly  opposite.  Of  course  they  could  not  see  us  through 
the  thick  screen  of  grass  any  more  than  we  could  distinguish 
them. 

We  were  at  an  additional  disadvantage,  as  we  were  always 
exposed  to  attacks  from  fresh  enemies;  the  route  was  occupied 
throughout,  thus  they  were  not  cowed  by  the  defeats  of  every 
ambuscade  in  the  rear. 

Considering  the  great  numbers  of  spears  that  had  flown  like 
flashes  of  light  through  the  line,  it  was  astonishing  that  we  had 
not  had  more  numerous  casualties.  Several  men  had  been  struck 
on  their  knapsacks,  which  had  served  as  shields. 

We  at  length  came  to  an  exceedingly  awkward  place,  that  I 
felt  sure  would  be  well  occupied.  Upon  our  right  lay  a  row  of 
rocky  hills,  to  which  we  were  marching  parallel.  We  had  to  de- 
scend through  forest  to  lower  ground.  To  reach  this,  it  was  nec- 
essary to  pass  between  numerous  blocks  of  granite  that  complete- 
ly commanded  the  path.    Each  block  was  about  twenty  or 


COLONEL  ABD-EL-KADER  WOUNDED. 


405 


twenty-five  feet  high,  and  several  much  exceeded  this  height. 
The  base  was  the  usual  high  grass  and  forest. 

I  ordered  the  men  not  to  fire  unless  they  should  see  the  enemy, 
and  to  take  a  good  aim. 

Presently,  as  we  descended  through  the  pass,  the  attack  com- 
menced. Two  spears  struck  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  one  in  the 
fore -arm;  the  second  ripped  his  tough  leather  gaiter,  and 
glanced  off. 

The  Sniders  were  ready,  as  the  enemy  wrere  obliged  to  show 
their  heads  above  the  rocks;  and  one  fellow,  who  was  exactly 
above  us,  either  lost  his  nerve,  or  received  a  bullet,  which  allow- 
ed his  lance  to  come  rattling  down  the  rocks  as  a  complete  fail- 
ure. I  ordered  the  bugler  to  continue  to  sound  "  forward"  (illah 
reh),  as  it  was  advisable  to  push  through  this  awkward  place  as 
quickly  as  possible. 

Directly  that  we  were  out  of  the  pass,  I  tied  up  Abd-el-Kader's 
arm,  and  we  continued  the  march  until  we  halted  at  2.5  P.M.,  in 
a  piece  of  open  cultivated  ground,  where  I  determined  to  bivouac 
for  the  night. 

I  had  resolved  alwaj^s  to  finish  the  day's  journey  by  one  march, 
as  it  would  afford  time  for  erecting  a  protection  of  thorns  and 
branches  of  trees  to  prevent  a  sudden  night  attack. 

Fortunately  the  weather  was  fine.  Abd-el-Kader  was  now 
faint  and  weak  from  loss  of  blood.  I  attended  to  his  wound, 
which  was  an  ugly  gash,  and  gave  him  a  good  dose  of  brandy, 
and  advised  him  to  go  to  sleep. 

Lieutenant  Baker  and  the  other  officers  assisted  in  erecting  the 
defense  of  thorns.  All  the  wet  clothes  were  spread  out  to  dry  in 
the  sun,  and  every  thing  was  got  ready  for  the  night.  I  did  not 
care  for  myself,  but  I  was  sorry  for  the  hardship  that  my  wife 
must  endure  without  a  bed  or  tent.  My  men  cut  two  forked 
poles,  upon  which  they  lashed  a  horizontal  bar,  which  supported 
a  camp-sheet  to  protect  her  from  rain  or  dew.  A  pile  of  long 
green  grass  wTas  laid  on  the  ground  beneath,  upon  which  was 
stretched  a  mackintosh  camp-sheet,  and  a  good  thick  blanket. 

We  had  been  most  fortunate  in  having  only  a  loss  of  one  kill- 
ed and  two  wounded  since  we  left  Masindi. 

My  men  had  fired  away  an  enormous  amount  of  ammunition 
during  the  march,  as  they  appeared  to  become  more  and  more 
nervous  as  they  advanced.  Every  thick  clump  of  reeds  that  rose 
a  few  feet  higher  than  the  surrounding  grass  was  supposed  to  con- 
ceal an  enemy,  and  it  was  immediately  raked  by  a  hot  fire  from 
the  advance-guard. 


406 


ISM  A  ILIA. 


On  June  16th,  the  night  having  passed  quietly,  we  started  at 
6.30  a.m.,  and  marched  silently. 

There  was  a  curious  feeling  upon  first  waking  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  we  rose  and  buckled  on  the  ammunition-belts.  Ever}*- 
one  was  aware  that  his  nerves  must  be  upon  the  stretch,  and  that 
his  finger  must  be  ready  for  the  trigger,  from  the  commencement 
till  the  end  of  the  march,  to  act  against  unseen  enemies. 

Upon  arrival  at  a  stream  in  a  muddy  bottom,  we  were  imme- 
diately attacked  by  a  strong  force  in  ambuscade.  Some  of  the 
enemy  exposed  themselves  boldly,  and  rushed  upon  the  soldiers 
just  in  front  of  the  rear-guard.  Several  were  shot  by  the  Sni- 
ders ;  but  one  fellow,  with  unusual  pluck,  speared  a  soldier, 
whose  musket  had  missed  fire,  through  the  chest.  This  poor 
fellow,  thus  mortally  wounded,  grappled  with  his  assailant,  and 
tugging  the  spear  from  his  own  wound,  he  drove  it  through  the 
native's  heart. 

The  rear  bugle  sounded  "halt,"  while  the  knapsack  and  car- 
touche-belt were. detached  from  the  gallant  soldier,  whose  body 
was  left  by  the  side  of  his  enemy. 

We  marched  until  10.15  A.M.,  having  fought  nearly  the  whole 
way,  and  expended  a  frightful  amount  of  ammunition.  We  had 
now  arrived  at  our  old  halting-place,  Chorobeze,  twenty-seven 
miles  from  Masindi. 

My  men  had  become  so  extravagant  of  their  cartridges  that  I 
was  forced  to  interfere.  If  this  nervousness  should  continue,  we 
should  be  soon  left  without  ammunition,  and  every  soul  would 
be  massacred. 

I  therefore  mustered  the  troops,  and  examined  all  their 
pouches.  Some  of  the  advance-guard  had  fired  away  eighty 
rounds  each,  only  during  the  morning's  march! 

Many  had  fired  fifty  rounds !  The  muskets  had  not  used  so 
many,  owing  to  the  greater  difficulty  of  loading,  but  they  also 
had  been  frightfully  extravagant. 

The  men  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  only  plan  of 
marching  in  safety  through  the  high  grass,  which  was  full  of  un- 
seen enemies,  was  to  constitute  themselves  into  a  sort  of  infernal 
machine,  that  would  be  perpetually  emitting  fire  and  bullets  on 
all  sides. 

This  was  all  very  well  with  an  unlimited  supply  of  ammuni- 
tion, but  we  had  no  idea  of  what  might  still  be  in  store  for  us. 
We  were  now  slightly  more  than  fifty  miles  from  Foweera. 
Fortunately,  in  our  journey  from  the  river  to  Masindi,  I  had 
timed  every  march  within  five  minutes,  and  I  had  all  particulars 


A  SNARE. 


40? 


in  my  note-book  ;  therefore  I  could  guess  the  position  pretty 
closely  during  the  morning's  advance. 

Having  mustered  all  the  men,  I  turned  out  all  the  ammunition 
from  their  pouches.    The  cartridges  were  all  counted. 

I  now  examined  all  the  reserve  ammunition. 

The  total,  including  that  from  the  men's  cartouche-boxes,  was: 

Cartridges  for  Snider  rifles   454:0 

"        "  muskets   4330 

8870 

I  now  addressed  the  men,  and  abused  them  most  forcibly,  call- 
ing them  "old  women,"  and  several  other  uncomplimentary  epi- 
thets for  soldiers.  I  divided  among  them  forty  rounds  each,  and 
I  swore  solemnly  by  their  prophet  "  that  I  would  not  give  them 
another  cartridge  from  this  spot  (Chorobeze)  until  we  should 
reach  Major  Abdullah's  detachment  at  Fatiko." 

I  explained  that  if  any  man  should  fire  away  his  ammunition, 
he  should  continue  the  march  with  an  empty  pouch  (wah  illahi)! 

I  gave  the  most  positive  command  that  in  future  not  a  shot 
should  be  fired  without  orders,  unless  spears  actually  were 
thrown,  on  which  occasions  the  troops  would  fire  a  few  shots 
exactly  into  the  spot  from  which  the  weapons  had  arrived ;  but 
on  no  account  was  a  bullet  to  be  fired  at  random. 

I  dismissed  the  men  with  this  warning,  and  set  them  to  work 
to  construct  a  night  defense  as  usual. 

It  was  a  most  fortunate  peculiarity  of  the  Unyoros  that  they 
did  not  attack  at  night-time.  This  was  a  grievous  fault  upon 
their  side.  If  they  had  surrounded  us  every  night,  they  would 
have  kept  us  awake,  and  not  only  would  have  tired  the  men  out, 
but  they  would  have  caused  a  useless  expenditure  of  ammuni- 
tion. 

On  June  17th  we  started  at  6.15  a.m.,  with  the  intention  of 
reaching  Koki.  I  recognized  several  villages,  but  we  passed 
them  without  halting.  We  at  length  arrived  at  a  fine,  broad 
route,  that  was  sufficiently  wide  for  a  dog-cart.  This  had  evi- 
dently been  recently  prepared,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  that 
it  was  arranged  as  a  snare  that  would  lead  us  into  some  power- 
ful ambuscade.  At  the  same  time  the  compass  showed  that  the 
broad  path  led  in  the  right  direction. 

I  halted  the  force,  and  went  to  the  front  to  examine  the  road. 
There  was  no  other  path.  It  was  therefore  incumbent  upon  us 
to  keep  to  the  broad  route,  although  we  knew  that  it  must  lead 
us  to  a  trap  prepared  for  our  destruction. 


40H 


ISMAILlA. 


It  was  like  walking  upon  ice  that  was  known  to  be  unsafe. 
We  advanced. 

For  about  half  an  hour  we  marched  without  opposition.  This 
was  a  longer  interval  than  usual  to  be  free  from  an  attack.  At 
length  we  arrived  where  the  broad  road  suddenly  terminated. 
The  advance-guard  halted. 

We  searched  for  a  path,  and  at  length  discovered  the  original 
narrow  route  a  few  paces  to  our  left. 

This  had  been  purposely  concealed  by  grass  and  boughs. 

We  had  hardly  entered  this  path  when  we  were  suddenly  at- 
tacked. A  horse-keeper  was  wounded  by  a  spear,  which  passed 
through  his  leg  behind  the  knee,  and  cut  the  sinew,  thus  render- 
ing him  helpless.  He  was  immediately  placed  upon  a  donkey. 
The  unfortunate  lad  who  led  the  horse  a  few  paces  before  me  now 
uttered  a  wild  shriek,  as  a  spear  passed  completely  through  his 
body.  The  poor  boy  crept  to  me  on  his  hands  and  knees,  and 
asked,  "Shall  I  creep  into  the  grass,  Pasha? — where  shall  I  go?" 
He  had  not  another  minute  to  live. 

A  spear  struck  another  horse-keeper  on  the  hip,  and  the  soft 
iron  point  turned  up  against  the  bone  in  a  curve  like  a  fish-hook. 

A  sharp  fire  dispersed  the  enemy,  who  retired  to  a  distance, 
yelling  and  blowing  their  whistles.  The  wounded  horse-keeper 
could  manage  to  walk -forward. 

There  is  a  peculiar  bird  in  the  forests  of  Unyoro  which  utters 
a  shrill  cry,  with  these  notes: 


Fat^iF*-  r — 

r  r  1 — 

The  natives  imitate  this  cry  with  their  whistles  of  antelope's 
horn.  I  had  noticed  that  previous  to  an  attack  from  an  ambus- 
cade we  had  always  heard  the  call  of  this  bird. 

My  Baris  declared  that  the  bird  warned  us  of  the  danger,  and 
cried,  "Co-co-me!  Co-co-me!"  which  in  their  language  means, 
"Look  out!  look  out!" 

My  soldiers  said  that  the  bird  exclaimed,  "  Shat-mo-koor !" 
which  is  the  order,  "Make  ready!"  They  accordingly  always 
brought  their  rifles  on  full-cock  when  they  heard  the  signal. 

There  was  something  puzzling  this  day  respecting  the  distance. 
According  to  my  calculation,  we  should  have  reached  Koki. 
Still  we  marched  on  through  high  forest  and"  the  interminable 
grass.  My  wife  was  dreadfully  fatigued.  The  constant  march- 
ing in  wet  boots,  which  became  filled  with  sand  when  crossing  the 


CO-CO-ME!  CO-CO- ME ! 


409 


small  streams  and  wading  through  muddy  hollows,  had  made  her 
terribly  foot-sore.  She  walked  on  with  pain  and  difficulty.  I 
was  sure  that  we  had  passed  the  village  of  Koki,  which  was  sur- 
rounded by  much  open  ground  and  cultivation ;  and  I  now  felt 
certain  that  the  broad  road  that  had  been  constructed  to  mislead 
us  had  taken  us  by  the  rear  of  Koki,  which  we  had  thus  over- 
shot. 

We  were  marching  forward  in  perfect  silence,  when  I  heard  a 
bird  cry,  "Co-co-me!  Co-co-me!" 


 0  

■  \~  ~ 

Co-co  -  me  !       Co-co  -  me  ! 


That  instant  the  spears  came  among  us,  and  the  rifles  replied  as 
quick  as  lightning.  The  English  practice  of  rabbit-shooting  in 
covert  is  very  useful  in  this  kind  of  warfare,  as  you  must  fire  a 
snap-shot  into  the  spot  exactly  as  the  spear  flies  by  you.  Thus  a 
good  shot  can  hit  the  thrower  just  as  a  rabbit  is  knocked  over  in 
jumping  across  a  drive. 

The  bugle  of  the  advance-guard  sounded  "halt."  I  never 
liked  to  hear  that  order,  as  something  must  have  gone  wrong. 

I  immediately  walked  forward,  and  found  that  Lieutenant  Mo- 
hammed Mustapha  had  been  wounded.  The  spear  had  struck 
him  just  behind  the  shoulder-joint  of  the  left  arm,  and  had  passed 
over  the  blade-bone  and  spine  previous  to  making  its  exit  by  the 
right  arm.  This  was  a  very  nasty  wound,  and  he  was  bleeding 
profusely.  I  made  a  couple  of  pads,  and,  placing  one  upon  each 
hole,  we  bandaged  him  tightly. 

I  now  went  up  to  my  poor  old  horse,  "Zafteer."  The  unfor- 
tunate animal  was  carrying  a  heavy  load,  and  a  large  hunting- 
spear  had  struck  him  just  behind  the  saddle.  The  weapon  was 
so  sharp  and  heavy,  and  had  been  thrown  with  such  force,  that  it 
had  penetrated  a  double  blanket,  and  had  not  only  passed  clean 
through  the  horse's  body,  but  had  also  cut  through  a  blanket-fold 
upon  the  other  side. 

A  large  portion  of  the  bowels  protruded,  and  were  hanging  a 
foot  below  the  horse's  belly.  The  intestines  were  divided ;  thus 
death  was  certain. 

As  the  old  horse  could  still  walk,  and  did  not  know  its  own 
danger,  I  ordered  the  advance.  I  intended  to  halt  at  the  first 
convenient  point. 

In  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  we  saw  increased  light  in  the 


410 


ISMAILlA. 


distance,  and  we  presently  emerged  upon  a  large  open  vale  sur- 
rounded by  forest.  This  cheerful  space  extended  over  about  ten 
acres,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  a  well  of  good  water  about  four- 
teen feet  deep,  and  so  wide  that  a  man  could  descend  by  steps 
hewn  out  of  the  gravel.    This  was  a  grand  place  for  the  halt. 

My  first  duty  was  to  remove  the  load,  together  with  the  sad- 
dle, from  my  good  old  horse.  I  returned  the  bowels,  and  having 
placed  a  strong  pad  over  the  wounds,  I  passed  the  roller  round 
his  body,  and  buckled  it  tight  over  the  pads. 

This  operation  was  hardly  completed,  when  a  severe  shivering 
fit  seized  the  poor  animal,  and  he  fell  to  the  ground  to  die. 

With  great  sorrow  I  placed  my  pistol  to  the  forehead  of  the 
faithful  old  Zafteer,  and  he  died,  having  carried  and  laid  down 
his  load,  together  with  his  life,  at  the  end  of  the  march  by  the 
well. 

I  was  much  distressed  at  this  loss.  It  seemed  that  I  was  to 
lose  all  my  best  and  most  faithful  followers — the  good  Monsoor, 
whom  to  this  hour  I  regret  as  a  brother;  the  ever-ready  and 
true  Howarti ;  Ferritch  Baggara;  the  unfortunate  Eamadan,  be- 
sides others  who  were  very  valuable;  and  now  my  old  horse 
was  gone. 

We  slept  that  night  by  his  body,  and  warmed  ourselves  by  a 
fire  that  consumed  his  load — for  there  was  no  one  to  carry  it. 
My  dispatch-box  helped  to  cook  our  scanty  dinner.  We  had 
marched  sixteen  miles. 

My  troops  had  behaved  remarkably  well.  The  scolding  that 
I  had  given  them  had  produced  a  good  effect.  Very  little  am- 
munition had  been  expended,  and  the  firing  had  been  exceeding- 
ly steady. 

Although  we  had  not  been  attacked  at  night,  I  never  omitted 
the  precaution  of  a  defense  of  strong  thorns  and  branches  of  trees. 

Had  this  march  through  a  frightful  route  of  forest  and  high 
grass  been  made  in  the  Bari  tribe,  we  should  not  have  had  a 
night's  rest. 

We  marched  at  6  A.M.,  with  sunrise,  on  June  18th.  The 
weather  had  been  fine  since  the  first  day  of  soaking  rain  on  the 
start  from  Masindi :  we  were  thankful  for  this  blessing,  as  there 
was  no  shelter  for  any  one. 

It  would  be  fatiguing  to  narrate  the  incidents  of  the  continual 
ambuscades.  Every  day  we  were  attacked,  and  the  enemy  was 
repulsed  many  times.  "Co-co-me!  Co-co-me!"  was  now  well 
understood  by  the  troops;  and  although  we  had  men  wounded, 
the  enemy  invariably  got  the  worst  of  the  encounter.    Up  to  the 


A  BARBAROUS  CEREMONY. 


411 


present  we  had  been  most  fortunate  in  bringing  on  all  our  peo- 
ple, but  I  was  anxious  lest  some  should  receive  wounds  that 
would  actually  incapacitate  them  from  marching.  Should  a  man 
be  killed  outright,  how  much  soever  he  might  be  regretted,  still 
there  was  an  end  of  him;  but  there  was  no  end  to  the  difficulty 
of  transporting  wounded  men  in  our  helpless  condition,  without 
carriers. 

We  had  rather  hot  work  during  this  day's  march,  and  four 
soldiers  had  been  wounded  by  spears. 

My  wife  was  dreadfully  tired,  and  sometimes  the  pace  was  too 
severe  for  her.  At  length  she  was  so  fatigued  that  she  declared 
she  must  halt  for  rest.  It  was  impossible  to  halt  in  the  thick 
jungle  and  grass;  therefore,  as  I  had  observed  a  large  grove  of 
plantains  on  the  crest  of  the  hill  before  us,  I  gave  her  my  hand 
to  assist  her  in  the  ascent,  and  we  shortly  entered  the  dark  forest 
of  bananas,  which  was,  as  usual,  clear  and  free  from  grass. 

All  the  women  were  glad  to  rest,  as  the  poor  things  were  car- 
rying heavy  loads.  We  halted  in  the  midst  of  the  plantains,  and 
every  one  sat  down,  except  the  numerous  sentries  whom  I  placed 
in  concealment  in  various  positions.  I  fully  expected  that  na- 
tives might  be  following  us,  in  the  hopes  of  picking  up  the  load 
of  some  wounded  man  that  had  been  left  behind. 

Not  a  word  was  spoken,  or  even  whispered. 

My  men  were  very  blood-thirsty.  They  had  been  atrociously 
treated  by  the  natives,  and  had  suffered  much.  They  longed  to 
get  their  enemies  fairly  before  them,  and  the  "Forty  Thieves"  were 
now  keenly  looking  out  for  the  approach  of  the  wily  Unyoros. 

We  heard  distant  voices;  they  were  corning  nearer.  A  sharp 
clicking  of  locks  might  be  heard  as  the  men  got  ready. 

Ali  Sadik  was  one  of  my  best  shots  in  "  The  Forty."  I  now 
saw  him  taking  a  steady  aim.  Saat  Choush,  who  was  the  cham- 
pion shot  of  "The  Forty,"  had  also  raised  his  rifle,  and  almost 
immediately  several  shots  were  fired,  and  the  troops  rushed  for- 
ward!  Two  natives  had  been  knocked  over,  and  some  of  the 
men  returned,  dragging  in  a  body  by  the  heels. 

I  now  scoured  the  immediate  neighborhood,  and  discovered  a 
quantity  of  dhurra  that  was  just  ripened.  This  was  immediately 
gathered  as  a  great  prize. 

During  this  interval,  my  men  had  been  engaged  in  a  most  bar- 
barous ceremony  that  perfectly  disgusted  me. 

These  superstitious  people  had  an  idea  that  every  bullet  they 
might  fire  would  kill  an  Unyoro,  if  they  could  only  devour  a 
portion  of  their  enemy's  liver. 


412 


ISMAILlA. 


They  had  accordingly  cut  out  the  liver  of  the  dead  man,  and 
having  divided  it  among  them,  they  positively  had  eaten  it — raw! 
They  had  then  cut  the  body  into  pieces  with  their  sword-bayo- 
nets, and  had  disposed  them  upon  the  limbs  of  various  bushes 
that  overhung  the  path,  as  a  warning  to  any  Unyoros  who  should 
attempt  to  follow  us. 

I  would  not  have  believed  that  my  "Forty  Thieves,"  whom  I 
had  considered  to  be  nearly  civilized,  could  have  committed  such 
a  barbarity.  The  truth  was,  that  in  the  high  grass  they  could 
not  see  the  effect  of  their  shots ;  therefore  they  imagined  that  the 
horrid  rite  of  eating  an  enemy's  liver  would  give  a  fatal  direction 
to  a  random  bullet. 

We  marched,  and  having  had  several  encounters  with  the 
enemy  in  jungle,  if  possible,  worse  than  before,  we  halted  at 
Kaseega. 

One  of  my  best  men,  Serroor,  had  a  narrow  escape;  a  lance 
went  through  his  neck,  almost  grazing  the  jugular  vein. 

On  June  19th  we  marched  at  6.5  a.m.  This  was  one  of  the 
worst  journeys,  as  the  ravines  were  numerous,  and  the  forest 
dark  and  tangled.  It  was  difficult  for  our  solitary  horse  (Jamoos) 
to  carry  his  load,  as  it  became  continually  hooked  in  the  hanging 
loops  of  the  wild  vines.  We  were  quickly  attacked  by  various 
ambuscades,  in  one  of  which  my  wife  suffered  the  loss  of  a  great 
favorite.  This  was  poor  little  Jarvah,  who  went  by  the  name  of 
the  "  fat  boy."  Two  spears  struck  the  unhappy  lad  at  the  same 
moment — one  of  which  pinned  both  his  legs  as  though  upon  a 
spit;  the  other  went  through  his  body.  This  loss  completely  up- 
set my  wife,  as  the  unfortunate  Jarvah  had  upon  several  occa- 
sions endeavored  to  protect  her  from  danger.  He  was  killed 
only  a  few  paces  behind  her. 

In  one  of  the  ambuscades,  just  as  the  enemy  had  been  repulsed, 
Faddul,  the  strongest  man  in  the  "Forty  Thieves,"  who  was 
close  to  me,  carrying  his  knapsack  on  his  back,  his  rifle  slung 
across  his  shoulders,  and  a  box  of  five  hundred  Snider  cartridges 
(sixty-four  pounds),  upon  his  head,  walked  up  to  me  during  the 
halt  and  reported  himself  as  badly  wTounded. 

A  spear  had  struck  him  obliquely  in  the  posterior,  and  had 
taken  a  direction  toward  the  groin.  The  man  was  literally 
bathed  in  blood,  which  ran  from  him  in  such  a  stream  that  a 
large  pool  was  formed  at  his  feet  as  he  stood  before  me. 

The  instant  that  the  box  of  Snider  ammunition  was  taken  from 
his  head,  he  fell,  apparently  lifeless,  to  the  ground. 

I  thought  that  he  had  bled  to  death. 


TKE  LOST  PATH. 


413 


His  rifle  and  knapsack  were  removed,  and  I  examined  his 
pulse  and  heart.  I  could  not  feel  any  movement.  All  I  could 
do  was  to  pour  some  brandy  very  slowly  down  his  throat,  and  to 
leave  him  on  the  side  of  the  path  as  another  good  man  lost  to 
the  expedition. 

We  marched  forward,  and  in  about  ten  minutes  we  arrived  at 
an  open  field  of  sweet-potatoes.  The  change  from  dark  jungle 
and  dense  grasses  of  giant  height  to  the  fresh  and  clear  space  can 
not  be  understood,  unless  by  those  who  experienced  the  difficul- 
ties of  the  march. 

I  halted  the  advance-guard  in  the  centre  of  the  open  field,  and 
waited  for  the  rear  to  close  up. 

As  it  arrived,  I  saw  a  man  staggering  forward,  supported  by 
two  soldiers.  Upon  nearer  approach,  I  recognized  my  strong 
friend,  Faddul,  thus  risen  from  the  dead !  The  brandy  had  re- 
vived him  sufficiently  to  show  some  signs  of  life,  and  the  rear- 
guard had  thus  brought  him  along  with  them.  We  laid  him 
down  to  rest  beneath  a  tree  that  grew  in  the  middle  of  the  culti- 
vation. 

We  were  now  in  a  sad  difficulty.  There  were  numerous  roads, 
or  rather  very  narrow  paths,  which  converged  from  all  quarters 
upon  this  potato-ground.  No  one  knew  the  direction.  The  Ba- 
ris  were  completely  at  fault.  The  farther  the  people  explored 
the  immediate  neighborhood,  the  more  helpless  they  became. 

This  was  a  serious  matter.  Up  to  the  present  time  we  had 
been  most  fortunate  in  keeping  to  the  right  path. 

I  now  called  my  renowned  path-finder,  Abdullah,  of  "The 
Forty." 

Abdullah  made  a  survey  of  the  surrounding  tracks,  and  then 
returned  to  me  with  the  news  that  he  had  discovered  the  route. 
This  he  immediately  pointed  out. 

A  general  exclamation  of  derision  from  the  officers  and  many 
of  the  men  was  the  only  reward  Abdullah  received  for  his  im- 
portant discovery,  as  his  path  was  in  quite  an  opposite  direction 
to  the  route  they  had  anticipated. 

The  compass  corroborated  Abdullah's  road,  but  before  I 
adopted  it  I  asked  him  why  he  declared  so  positively  that  he 
knew  the  way?  He  replied,  that  when  on  the  march  from  Fo- 
weera,  he  had  observed  a  peculiarly-shaped  tree,  upon  which  was 
fastened  a  native  cojoor,  or  spell.  That  tree  was  on  rising  ground 
above  a  ravine,  and  he  could  now  show  me  both  the  ravine  and 
the  magic  tree. 

I  accompanied  him  to  the  spot,  and  certainly  the  tree  was 


r 


414 


ISM  A  III' A. 


there,  with  some  pieces  of  ragged  bark-cloth  and  some  grass  tied 
to  the  stem.  I  had  often  seen  talismans  that  were  fastened  to 
the  trees,  and  I  suggested  to  Abdullah  that  there  were  many  of 
them  along  the  road.  He  was  so  confident  in  accepting  every 
responsibility  as  guide,  that  I  followed  him  without  hesitation, 
and  the  march  continued.  The  wounded  Faddul  was  supported 
as  before. 

In  a  short  time  I  myself  recognized  the  path  as  being  very 
near  to  Kisoona,  which  place  we  suddenly  entered,  after  a  march 
of  thirty-five  minutes  from  the  potato-field.  The  advance-guard 
fired  a  volley  at  some  natives,  who  rushed  into  the  grass  upon 
our  unexpected  arrival. 

We  were  now  in  open  ground,  with  good  native  huts  for  shel- 
ter, and  a  large  extent  of  cultivation,  where  an  unlimited  supply 
of  potatoes  could  be  obtained. 

As  the  rear-guard  closed  up,  I  mustered  all  officers  and  men. 
Having  spoken  a  few  words  of  encouragement,  and  compliment- 
ed them  upon  their  extreme  steadiness  since  I  had  lectured  them 
atChorobeze,  I  congratulated  them  upon  having  advanced  so  far, 
under  God's  protection,  through  such  numberless  enemies,  with 
comparatively  so  little  loss.  We  were  now  only  twenty -one 
miles  from  Foweera,  and  we  knew  the  road.  The  news  of  our 
arrival  would  almost  immediately  reach  Rionga,  and  I  should 
fortify  this  spot  and  remain  here  for  some  days,  to  allow  my 
wounded  to  recover  their  strength.  During  this  time  all  hands 
would  be  employed  in  preparing  potatoes  for  store,  by  cutting 
them  in  slices  and  drying  them  in  the  sun. 

I  now  ordered  the  band  to  strike  up  with  the  greatest  vigor, 
to  show  the  natives  who  might  be  within  hearing  that  we  were 
in  the  best  of  spirits. 

My  officers  and  men  were  all  delighted,  and  overwhelmed  me 
with  compliments.  I  only  replied  by  begging  them  always  to 
trust  in  God,  and  to  do  their  duty. 

I  immediately  started  off  a  party  to  dig  potatoes,  while  Lieu- 
tenant Baker  and  myself,  with  a  number  of  men,  slashed  down 
with  sabres  the  extensive  grove  of  plantain-trees,  so  as  to  have  a 
perfectly  clear  space  around  the  camp. 

We  made  a  strong  defense  at  Kisoona,  and  the  rest  of  sev- 
eral days  was  invigorating  to  the  wounded  men,  and  enabled 
my  wife's  feet  to  recover  sufficiently  to  continue  the  march  on 
June  23d. 

I  had  arranged  that  the  drums  and  bugles  should  sound  the 
morning  call  at  5  A.M.  daily,  as  though  in  a  permanent  camp. 


ARRIVE  AT  EOWEERA. 


415 


This  was  to  assist  me  in  a  plan  for  avoiding  ambuscades  on  the 
day  of  marching  from  Kisoona. 

On  the  22d  I  gave  orders  that  every  man  should  be  ready  to 
march  punctually  at  5  a.m.,  the  instant  that  the  morning  call 
should  have  sounded. 

The  natives,  hearing  the  call  to  which  they  had  been  daily 
accustomed,  would  have  no  suspicion  of  our  intended  departure ; 
therefore  they  would  not  have  sufficient  time  to  organize  and 
man  their  ambuscades. 

On  the  morning  of  June  23d  we  evacuated  the  camp  in  the 
semi-darkness,  the  instant  that  the  drums  and  bugles  had  ceased, 
and  we  thus  obtained  an  excellent  start  that  saved  us  much 
trouble.  The  attacks  later  in  the  day  were  feebler  than  usual, 
and  after  a  march  of  fourteen  miles  we  arrived  at  a  well  of  water 
at  2.5  P.M.,  at  which  spot  we  halted  for  the  night.  During  this 
march  we  had  only  one  man  wounded. 

We  were  now  within  Kionga's  country  ;  but  I  nevertheless 
made  a  defense  of  thorns  and  branches  of  trees  for  the  night. 

On  June  24th  we  started  at  6.5  a.m.  ;  and  after  a  march  of 
seven  miles,  during  which  we  were  undisturbed,  we  arrived  at 
the  old  camp  of  Suleiman's  company  at  Foweera,  on  the  Victoria 
Nile,  where  we  had  expected  to  find  shelter  and  good  houses. 

Every  thing  had  been  destroyed  by  fire!  Nothing  remained 
but  blackened  ashes. 


416 


ISMAILlA, 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

BUILD  A  STOCKADE  AT  FOWEERA. 

My  losses  from  the  8th  of  June  to  the  24th  had  been  ten 
killed  and  eleven  wounded.  Every  officer  and  soldier  had 
thoroughly  done  his  duty,  having  displayed  admirable  coolness 
and  courage  upon  many  trying  occasions.  None  but  black 
troops  could  have  endured  the  march  of  about  eighty  miles  with 
heavy  weights  upon  their  heads,  in  addition  to  their  usual  accou- 
trements. 

I  at  once  set  to  work  to  build  a  new  station ;  and  with  the  old 
wood  that  had  formed  the  fence  of  Suleiman's  zareeba  I  com- 
menced a  defensive  arrangement. 

There  was  very  little'  heavy  timber  that  was  adapted  for  a 
stockade.  I  therefore  formed  a  protection  by  sinking  deep  in 
the  ground,  at  intervals  of  three  feet,  two  strong  posts  about 
seven  feet  above  the  surface.  These  upright  timbers,  standing 
opposite  to  each  other  at  a  distance  of  about  ten  inches,  were 
filled  with  long  poles  laid  one  over  the  other  horizontally.  At 
two  corners  of  the  square  fort  wTere  flanking  works  of  the  same 
construction,  which  would  sweep  each  face  of  the  defense. 

In  a  very  few  days  my  men  had  completed  a  strong  and  neat 
stockade  around  a  number  of  small  temporary  huts  which  form- 
ed our  new  station. 

Having  thus  housed  my  troops,  it  was  necessary  to  prepare  for 
the  future.  I  fully  expected  that  Major  Abdullah  had  fallen  into 
the  snare  prepared  for  him  by  Kabba  Rega:  thus  I  should  have 
no  other  force  to  rely  upon,  except  the  few  men  that  now  form- 
ed my  small  but  tough  little  party.  If  so  terrible  a  calamity 
should  have  occurred  as  the  destruction  of  Abdullah's  detach- 
ment, I  should  not  only  have  lost  my  men,  but  I  should  become 
short  of  ammunition,  as  my  stores  and  arms  would  have  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  This  doubt  caused  me  much  grave 
anxiety. 

It  was  strange  that  we  had  not  received  some  communica- 
tion from  Rionga,  whose  island  was  only  fifteen  or  sixteen  miles 
above  stream  from  Foweera.  Our  side  of  the  river  appeared  to 
be  quite  uninhabited,  and  simply  consisted  of  the  interminable 


BUILDING  CANOES. 


417 


groves  of  bananas  that  had  belonged  to  the  inhabitants  at  a  time 
when  the  district  had  been  thickly  populated. 

The  Victoria  Nile  opposite  the  Foweera  station  was  about  five 
hundred  yards  wide.  At  this  season  the  river  was  full.  The 
huts  that  we  had  erected  on  the  north  side  upon  our  arrival  from 
Fatiko  had  been  destroyed  by  the  natives.  This  did  not  look  as 
though  much  friendship  existed. 

Upon  hearing  our  drums  and  bugles  on  the  day  of  our  arrival 
at  Foweera,  a  few  natives  had  come  to  the  high  rock  opposite, 
and  had  commenced  a  bawling  conversation  that  was  only  slight- 
ly understood  by  one  of  our  women  and  Molodi,  the  Madi. 

Molodi  knew  Rionga,  as  he  had  visited  him  at  a  former  time, 
together  with  a  party  of  Abou  Saood's  people.  His  very  slight 
knowledge  of  the  language  was  sufficient  to  explain  to  the  na- 
tives across  the  river  that  I  wished  to  communicate  with  Rionga. 

The  people  on  the  north  happened  to  belong  to  Kabba  Rega, 
and  they  wrere  enemies  of  Rionga;  thus  we  were  addressing  the 
wrong  parties. 

It  was  highly  necessary  to  make  some  arrangements  for  cross- 
ing the  river.  There  were  no  canoes  on  this  side,  and  it  would 
be  dangerous  to  trust  to  rafts,  as  there  were  water -falls  about 
three  or  four  hundred  yards  below  stream  upon  our  left.  I  de- 
termined to  construct  boats. 

We  felled  three  large  dolape-palms  (Borassus  Ethiopicus),  which 
were  the  only  trees  of  that  species  in  this  neighborhood.  These 
palms  are  well  adapted  for  canoes,  as  the  bark,  or  rather  the  out- 
side wood,  is  intensely  hard  for  about  an  inch  and  a  half,  beneath 
which  the  tree  is  simply  a  pithy,  stringy  substance,  that  can  be 
rapidly  scooped  out. 

Two  of  the  logs,  when  shaped,  were  each  twenty-six  feet  in 
length ;  the  third  was  smaller.  • 

Throughout  the  march  from  Masindi  we  had  managed  to  car- 
ry an  adze,  a  hammer,  and  a  cold- chisel.  The  adze  now  came 
into  plav,  together  with  the  handy  little  axes  of  the  "Forty 
Thieves.'7 

Among  my  troops  was  a  Baggara  Arab,  who  was  a  "canoe- 
builder."  This  was  one  of  the  best  men  of  "  The  Forty,"  and  it 
was  now  for  the  first  time  that  I  heard  of  his  abilities  as  a  boat- 
builder. 

The  men  took  an  immense  interest  in  the  work ;  but  as  too 
many  volunteers  might  interfere  with  the  principal  shipwright, 
I  sent  them  all  into  the  forest  to  collect  plantains.  I  gave  or- 
ders that  every  man  should  prepare  fourteen  pounds  of  plantain 


418 


tsmailXa. 


flour  for  the  journey,  in  case  it  should  be  necessary  to  march  to 
Fatiko. 

The  canoes  progressed,  and  a  slice  of  about  a  foot  wide  having 
been  taken  off  horizontally  from  stern  to  stern,  the  soft  inside 
was  scooped  out  with  an  adze,  and  with  lance-heads  bent  to  form 
a  half-circle. 

In  a  few  days  the  logs  were  neatly  hollowed,  and  were  then 
carried  down  and  launched  upon  the  river.  The  long,  narrow 
canoes  would  have  been  very  dangerous  without  outriggers, 
therefore  I  determined  to  adopt  the  plan  that  I  had  seen  in  Cey- 
lon ;  and  as  Lieutenant  Baker  well  represented  the  omniscience 
of  naval  men  in  every  thing  that  concerns  boats,  nautical  strata- 
gems, incomprehensible  forms  of  knots,  rigging,  etc.,  etc.,  I  left 
all  the  details  of  the  canoes  to  his  charge.  In  a  short  time  we 
possessed  three  admirable  vessels  that  it  was  quite  impossible  to 
upset.  I  now  required  a  few  rafts  for  the  transport  of  baggage, 
as  it  would  be  awkward  to  cross  the  river  by  small  sections 
should  an  enemy  oppose  our  landing  on  the  precipitous  bank  on 
the  opposite  shore.  I  therefore  arranged  that  we  should  cross  in 
two  journeys.  The  party  now  consisted  of  ninety-seven  soldiers, 
including  officers,  five  natives,  three  sailors,  fifty -one  women, 
boys,  and  servants,  and  three  Europeans;  total,  one  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  persons. 

There  was  no  ambatch-wood,  but  I  thought  we  might  form 
rafts  by  cutting  and  then  drying  in  the  sun  the  long,  tough  steins 
of  the  papyrus  rush.  These,  if  lashed  together  in  small  bundles, 
could  be  shaped  into  rafts  similar  to  those  used  by  the  Shillook 
tribe. 

Lieutenant  Baker  took  the  three  sailors  and  a  few  intelligent 

o 

soldiers,  and  set  to  work. 

The  29th  of  June  had  arrived  without  any  news  of  Eionga. 
The  country  appeared  to  be  quite  devoid  of  inhabitants  on  the 
south  banks,  neither  did  the  natives  show  themselves  on  the 
north.  We  were  masters  of  the  situation,  but  there  was  an  un- 
comfortable feeling  of  loneliness  in  our  position  of  outcasts.  We 
were  very  hungry,  as  we  had  not  tasted  animal  food  since  the 
14th  inst. ;  there  was  no  game,  neither  wrere  there  any  doves 
or  birds  of  any  kind  except  occasional  vultures,  which,  after  sit- 
ting upon  a  dead  tree  and  regarding  us  for  some  time,  went  off 
with  a  low  opinion  of  our  respectability. 

We  lived  upon  boiled  plantains  and  red  peppers,  together  with 
various  wild  plants  that  are  wholesome,  but  not  nice,  when  boil- 
ed as  spinach.    Unfortunately,  our  small  supply  of  salt  was  ex- 


A  MESSENGER  FROM  RIONGA. 


419 


hausted;  therefore  we  were  obliged  to  burn  grass  and  make  pot- 
ash from  the  ashes  as  a  substitute. 

We  had  a  small  quantity  of  brandy,  but  we  reserved  this  in 
case  of  illness  or  other  necessity. 

My  men  generally  made  two  journeys  daily,  together  with  the 
women,  to  collect  green  plantains,  and  they  immediately  com- 
menced peeling  and  drying  them  in  the  sun  upon  their  return  to 
camp. 

On  the  evening  of  the  29th  they  came  home  in  great  spirits, 
having  captured  a  prisoner.  They  had  tied  his  arms  cruelly  be- 
hind his  back,  and  had  led  him  to  camp  by  a  cord  secured  to  his 
neck. 

This  man  had  been  discovered  in  company  with  two  others 
who  had  escaped  to  the  other  side  of  the  river  in  a  canoe. 

I  ordered  his  arms  to  be  released,  and  cross-examined  him, 
Molodi  acting  as  interpreter. 

The  prisoner  seemed  quite  confident  upon  seeing  my  wife  and 
myself.  "  Don't  you  remember  me?"  he  exclaimed  ;  "  was  it  not 
I  who  many  years  ago  carried  the  traveling-bag  for  the  lady  on 
your  journey  to  Fatiko?  Was  it  not  you  that  shot  the  antelopes 
on  the  march,  and  gave  me  meat  to  eat  when  I  was  hungry?" 

Here  was  an  extraordinary  piece  of  good  luck !  My  men  had 
actually  captured  an  old  friend  in  the  thickets,  who  had  formerly 
marched  with  us  in  the  reign  of  Karnrasi. 

This  fellow  now  gave  us  the  news.  Kionga  wished  to  see  me, 
but  he  had  been  so  cheated  and  deceived  by  the  slave-hunting 
companies  of  Abou  Saood,  that  he  was  afraid  to  trust  himself 
among  us;  he  was  friendly  disposed,  but  he  did  not  know  my  in. 
tentions  concerning  himself. 

The  prisoner  declared  that  the  treachery  of  Kabba  Kega  had 
been  planned  from  the  beginning.  The  three  hundred  natives 
who  had  accompanied  my  party  from  Masindi,  with  the  post  to 
Fatiko,  had  attacked  and  killed  some  of  my  men,  but  he  knew 
no  particulars;  only  that  they  had  not  gone  on  to  Fatiko  with 
my  people.  This  was  a  great  relief  to  my  anxiety,  as  in  that  case 
Abdullah  must  be  safe  with  his  detachment.  I  ordered  the  pris- 
oner to  be  detained,  but  to  be  well  treated. 

We  had  rain  nearly  every  day. 

At  day-break  on  July  1st,  after  a  heavy  night's  rain,  a  voice 
from  the  high  wet  grass  about  a  hundred  yards  distant  cried  out 
to  the  sentries  in  Arabic,  "Don't  fire!  I  am  a  messenger  from 
Rionga  to  Malegge"  (my  former  nickname). 

The  man,  cold  and  shivering,  was  brought  before  me.    He  had 


420 


ISMAILlA. 


traveled  by  canoe  during  the  night,  but  had  been  afraid  to  ap- 
proach the  sentries  until  daylight. 

Being  assured  of  my  good-will,  he  informed  me  that  a  nephew 
of  Rionga's  was  in  the  grass  waiting  for  my  reply.  He  immedi- 
ately ran  out,  and  soon  returned  to  the  camp  with  his  companion. 

As  these  people  spoke  Arabic,  I  now  explained  the  whole  af- 
fair, and  assured  them  of  my  repeated  refusal  to  attack  Rionga, 
when  I  had  been  pressed  to  do  so  both  by  Kamrasi,  and  by  his 
son,  Kabba  Rega.  There  could  be  little  doubt  that,  had  I  al- 
lied with  him  against  Rionga,  the  battle  of  Masindi  would  nev- 
er have  taken  place,  and  the  lives  of  some  of  my  best  men  would 
have  been  spared.  Thus  Rionga  had  been  the  chief  cause  of 
trouble. 

I  would  now  depose  Kabba  Rega,  and  appoint  Rionga  as  the 
vakeel,  or  representative,  of  the  Egj7ptian  government,  provided 
he  would  swear  allegiance. 

I  sent  a  present  to  Rionga  of  an  entire  piece  each  of  Turkey- 
red  cloth,  blue  twill,  and  four  handkerchiefs;  at  the  same  time  I 
explained  that  we  were  very  hungry,  and  required  cattle  and 
corn. 

Before  the  messengers  returned,  I  inspected  the  troops,  who 
marched  round  the  camp  in  their  best  scarlet  uniforms  to  the 
sound  of  the  drums  and  bugles.  This  exhibition  appeared  to 
create  a  great  impression  on  Rionga's  people,  who  would  report 
us  fit  for  service  on  their  return  to  their  chief. 

Thirty  of  the  men  were  suffering  from  ulcerated  legs,  caused 
by  the  sharp,  poisonous  edges  of  the  high  grass. 

In  a  couple  of  days  two  large  canoes  arrived  from  Rionga  with 
presents  of  some  corn,  sweet-potatoes,  and  a  cow  and  sheep.  We 
killed  the  beef  immediately,  as  we  were  ravenously  hungry. 

On  July  16th  we  started,  in  nine  canoes  that  had  been  supplied 
by  Rionga,  to  visit  him  at  his  station.  The  troops  marched  by 
land  on  the  south  bank. 

After  paddling  for  about  fifteen  miles  along  the  grand  Victoria 
Nile,  which  in  the  narrowest  part  was  at  least  three  hundred  yards 
wide,  we  arrived  at  5  P.M.  at  a  desolate  spot  exactly  opposite  to 
the  tail  of  the  large  island  upon  which  Rionga  resided. 

Nothing  had  been  prepared  for  our  reception,  therefore  we 
landed  in  the  forest,  and  my  men  set  to  work  to  collect  fire-wood 
for  the  night.  The  troops  who  had  marched  overland  had  not 
arrived.  Fortunately  we  had  some  flour  and  a  bottle  of  curry- 
powder;  therefore  we  dined  off  dhurra-porridge  and  curry,  and 
lay  down  on  our  camp-sheets  to  sleep. 


ARRIVAL  OF  RIONGA. 


421 


This  was  a  thorough  negro  welcome:  nothing  to  eat! 

The  next  morning,  at  about  7  A.M.  the  troops  with  Colonel  Abd- 
el-Kader  arrived;  they  had  suffered  much  from  high  grass  and 
thorns,  as  they  had  been  obliged  to  break  their  way  through  the 
jungle,  in  the  total  absence  of  a  path. 

A  number  of  Eionga's  natives  now  arrived  to  assist  in  making 
our  camp.  All  hands  set  vigorously  to  work  building  huts,  in  an 
excellent  position  that  I  had  selected  on  the  river's  bank. 

On  July  18th  messengers  came  early  to  inform  me  that  Kionga 
would  arrive  that  morning  to  give  me  a  warm  welcome. 

I  had  already  sent  him,  from  Foweera,  a  beautiful  cloak  of  gold 
brocade,  together  with  a  new  tarboosh  and  sky-blue  turban. 

At  about  8  A.M.  drums  were  beating  on  the  island,  and  horns 
were  blowing  in  all  directions;  these  were  signals  that  the  renown- 
ed Rionga  was  on  the  move.  We  shortly  perceived  numerous 
large  canoes  pushing  off  from  the  island  and  making  for  our  land- 
ing-place, which  I  had  already  cleared. 

A  cow,  sheep,  and  a  load  of  corn  were  first  delivered  as  a  pres- 
ent. These  were  followed  by  Rionga,  and  a  large  staff  of  his 
principal  head  men. 

He  was  a  handsome  man  of  about  fifty,  with  exceedingly  good 
manners.  He  had  none  of  the  stiffness  of  Kamrasi,  nor  the  gauche 
bearing  of  Kabba  Rega,  but  he  was  perfectly  at  his  ease.  He  at 
once  thanked  me  for  the  handsome  suit  in  which  he  was  dressed, 
without  which  he  assured  me  that  it  would  have  been  difficult  for 
him  to  have  appeared  before  me  in  a  becoming  manner.  The 
troops  were  drawn  out  to  receive  him,  and  the  conversation  at 
once  turned  upon  Kabba  Rega  and  Abou  Saood. 

He  had  an  intimate  knowledge  of  all  that  had  taken  place, 
which  had  been  reported  to  him  by  his  spies;  and  he  declared 
that  Abou  Saood  had  long  ago  arranged  a  plan  with  Kabba  Rega 
for  our  destruction,  should  we  arrive  from  Gondokoro. 

Rionga  was  well  aware  how  often  I  had  refused  to  attack  him, 
and  he  confessed  that  I  had  been  his  savior  by  the  arrest  of 
Suleiman,  who  would  have  joined  the  forces  of  Kabba  Rega  to 
have  crushed  him. 

I  took  a  great  fancy  to  Rionga,  as  he  was  so  perfectly  free  and 
easy  in  his  manner.  He  told  me  several  anecdotes  of  the  es- 
capes he  had  had  from  snares  laid  for  him  by  Kamrasi ;  and  he 
seemed  quite  rejoiced  that  I,  who  had  always  declined  to  molest 
him  before  I  had  known  him  personally,  should  now  have  taken 
him  by  the  hand. 

He  declared  that  he  would  always  remain  the  faithful  repre- 


422 


ISMAILLl. 


sentative  of  the  Khedive's  government,  but  at  the  same  time  we 
must  immediately  exchange  blood;  without  which  ceremony  the 
people  would  not  rise  in  his  favor.  He  said:  "If  the  natives  of 
this  country,  and  also  the  Langgos  and  the  Umiros,  shall  hear 
that  I  have  exchanged  blood  with  the  Pasha,  they  will  have  thor- 
ough confidence,  as  they  will  know  that  he  will  always  be  true  to 
me,  and  I  to  him;  but  without  this  irrevocable  contract,  the}'  will 
always  suspect  some  intrigue,  either  upon  your  side  or  mine." 

Eionga  proposed  that  we  should  drink  blood  on  the  following 
morning,  as  no  time  should  be  lost;  he  reveled  with  childish  de- 
light in  the  despair  that  would  seize  Kabba  Rega  and  his  chiefs 
when  they  should  hear  the  news  that  the  Pasha  and  his  friend 
Rionga  had  exchanged  blood. 

The  preparation  for  the  ceremony  was  to  commence  that  even- 
ing. We  were  to  drink  a  large  quantity  of  plantain  cider.  "  Not 
such  stuff  as  Kabba  Rega  gave  you,"  exclaimed  Rionga;  "but  a 
drink  such  as  a  friend  will  partake  with  you."  I  was  not  to  eat 
any  thing  on  the  morrow,  until  the  sun  should  be  in  a  certain 
position  in  the  heavens,  at  which  time  he  would  call  upon  me.  I 
was  to  exchange  blood  with  Rionga ;  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  and 
Lieutenant  Baker  were  to  go  through  the  same  interesting  cere- 
mony with  his  minister  and  his  son  at  the  same  time. 

I  recommended  him  at  once  to  summon  the  chiefs  of  the  Lang- 
gos and  the  Umiros,  as  I  should  wish  to  secure  their  alliance  and 
allegiance  without  loss  of  time. 

Many  large  jars  of  the  best  quality  of  plantain  cider  were  now 
brought  from  the  island. 

The  night  passed  in  nothing  but  singing  and  dancing,  as  Ri- 
onga gave  an  entertainment  in  honor  of  our  arrival,  and  as  a 
preliminary  to  the  ceremony  of  exchanging  blood  on  the  follow- 
ing morning. 

At  about  9  A.M.  the  unpleasant  task  was  to  be  performed. 
Rionga  arrived,  and  begged  me  to  accompany  him  within  a  tent, 
together  with  Lieutenant  Baker,  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  and  Ka- 
missua  and  Majobi. 

Several  of  his  first-class  people  were  admitted  as  witnesses; 
these  were  Inqui,  Kimata,  Ulendu,  Singoma,  Kibera,  and  some 
others. 

Fortunately  I  had  a  small  lancet  in  the  handle  of  my  knife; 
therefore  I  made  a  slight  incision  on  my  left  fore -arm,  from 
which  a  few  drops  of  blood  flowed.  Rionga  immediately  seized 
my  arm,  and  greedily  sucked  the  scratch.  I  had  to  perform 
upon  his  arm,  and  I  took  care  to  make  so  slight  a  puncture  that 


RIONGA  PROCLAIMED  VAKEEL. 


423 


only  a  drop  of  blood  appeared ;  this  was  quite  enough  for  my 
share  of  the  ceremony.  We  were  now  friends  forever,  and  no 
suspicion  of  foul  play  could  possibly  be  entertained.  Lieutenant 
Baker  and  Abd-el-Kader  went  through  the  same  operation  with 
their  respective  partners,  and  cemented  an  indissoluble  friend- 
ship. 

It  was  rather  a  disgusting  performance,  but  at  the  same  time 
it  was  absolutely  necessary  for  the  success  of  the  expedition.  I 
had  now  really  secured  a  trustworthy  man,  who  would  act  as  my 
vakeel. 

When  we  emerged  from  the  hut,  a  minstrel  appeared,  who 
played  upon  a  species  of  harp,  and  sang  praises  of  myself  and 
Rionga ;  and,  of  course,  abused  Kabba  Rega  with  true  poetical 
license. 

I  gave  the  minstrel  a  considerable  present  of  beads,  and  he 
went  away  rejoicing,  singing  and  twanging  his  instrument  to  the 
discomforture  of  all  our  enemies. 

It  was  fortunate  that  I  had  been  able  to  carry  so  much  as  three 
hundred  pounds  of  beads.  The  soldiers  could  now  purchase  fish 
and  potatoes. 

On  July  23d  two  great  sheiks  were  introduced  by  Rionga: 
"Gonah,"  the  chief  of  a  Langgo  district,  and  "Okooloo,"  a  re- 
nowned warrior  of  the  Umiros. 

The  naked  body  of  Okooloo  was  covered  with  small  tattoo 
marks,  each  of  which  I  was  assured  represented  a  victim  to  his 
lance. 

If  he  had  really  killed  half  that  enormous  number  of  men,  he 
must  have  considerably  reduced  the  population,  and  he  could 
have  been  doing  little  else  during  his  life.  Samson's  feat  of  kill- 
ing one  thousand  men  was  hardly  to  be  compared  to  the  slaugh- 
ter that  had  been  accomplished  by  Okooloo. 

The  prospect  of  a  general  attack  upon  Kabba  Rega  with  fire 
and  lance  was  delightful  to  the  taste  of  this  warlike  old  chief, 
who  would,  at  the  end  of  the  campaign,  have  no  more  room  on 
his  own  skin,  and  would  have  to  keep  the  list  of  his  game  either 
upon  the  back  of  a  son  or  a  favorite  wife. 

I  soon  made  friends  with  these  tribes.    A  few  red  and  yellow 

handkerchiefs,  and  two  or  three  pounds  of  red  and  white  beads, 

were  sufficient  to  gain  their  alliance.   I  proclaimed  Rionga  as  the 

vakeel  of  the  government,  who  would  rule  Unyoro  in  the  place 

of  Kabba  Rega,  deposed.    Rionga  was  accepted  by  acclamation  ; 

and  if  the  young  traitor,  Kabba  Rega,  could  have  witnessed  this 

little  projet  de  traite,  he  would  have  shivered  in  his  shoes. 

32 


ISMAILlA. 


Kionga  was  a  general  favorite,  and  the  natives  were  sincerely 
glad  to  see  bim  at  length  supported  by  the  government.  Through- 
out his  life  he  had  striven  bravely  against  every  species  of  treach- 
ery and  persecution  ;  the  day  of  his  revenge  had  arrived. 

I  did  not  wish  to  overrun  Unyoro  until  the  grass  should  be  fit 
to  burn ;  this  would  not  be  until  the  end  of  November. 

I  therefore  arranged  that  I  would  leave  Abd-el-Kader  with 
sixty-five  men  in  a  powerful  stockade  that  I  had  constructed  on 
the  edge  of  the  river  in  this  spot,  1ST.  lat.  2°  6'  17",  to  support  Ki- 
onga, and  to  organize  the  native  forces,  while  I  would  take  forty 
men  (Sniders)  and  march  to  Fatiko,  to  inquire  into  all  that  had 
happened  during  my  absence.  It  would  be  necessary  to  form  a 
corps  of  irregulars  under  the  command  of  Wat-el-Mek,  which  I 
should  immediately  send  to  occupy  Unyoro. 

Eionga  told  me  that  he  should  immediately  attack  M'rooli  in 
company  with  the  Langgos  and  Umiros,  who  would  quickly 
overrun  the  country  now  that  Kabba  Rega  was  unsupported  by 
the  slave-hunters. 

He  at  once  collected  fifty  natives  to  carry  our  loads  to  Fatiko. 

On  July  27th,  having  left  all  beads,  etc.,  with  Colonel  Abd-el- 
Kader  for  the  purchase  of  provisions,  we  took  a  cordial  leave  of 
Rionga,  and  started,  in  six  canoes,  at  12.30  p.m.  ;  paddling  down 
the  stream,  we  arrived  at  our  deserted  zareeba  at  3.12  p.m.  We 
found  the  camp  quite  undisturbed ;  no  one  appeared  to  have 
entered  it  since  we  had  left  it  some  days  ago.  The  palm  out- 
rigger canoes  were  lying  in  the  same  spot,  secured  to  the  rushes, 
and  all  that  had  belonged  to  us  was  rigidly  respected. 

Rionga  had  given  us  a  sheep  to  eat  during  our  march  of  sev- 
enty-nine miles  from  Foweera  to  Fatiko.  This  did  not  seem 
very  generous,  but  his  cattle  had  been  mostly  carried  off  by  the 
slave-hunters  under  Suleiman. 

Fortunately,  just  as  we  entered  our  old  station,  I  shot  a  guinea- 
fowl,  which  made  a  good  currj^,  and  saved  our  store  of  dried  fish 
for  the  uninhabited  wilderness  before  us. 

The  best  fish  (as  I  before  mentioned  in  "The  Albert  N'yanza") 
is  the  Lepidosiren  annectens,  and  this  fat  and  delicate  meat  is  ex- 
cellent when  smoked  and  dried. 

We  slept  in  our  old  camp,  and  early  on  the  following  morn- 
ing we  prepared  to  cross  the  river. 

Rionga's  people  did  not  quite  trust  the  inhabitants  on  the 
other  side;  I  accordingly  sent  a  strong  party  of  rifles  across  first 
to  occupy  the  high  rocky  landing-place. 

On  the  return  of  the  canoes,  we  were  just  preparing  to  cross 


BAD  NEWS. 


425 


with  the  remainder  of"  the  party  when  I  observed  eight  natives 
walking  very  fast  along  the  forest-covered  cliff  on  the  other  side. 
We  immediately  gave  the  alarm  to  our  men  who  occupied  the 
rocks.  The  telescope  now  discovered  that  the  arrangement  of 
the  hair  of  these  natives  was  the  fashion  of  Shooli  and  Fatiko. 

The  eight  strangers,  who  had  not  before  observed  us,  now 
halted  in  astonishment,  and  presently  they  shouted  in  good 
Arabic,  "Are  you  the  Pasha's  soldiers?  We  are  sent  by  Ab- 
dullah to  look  for  the  Pasha!" 

This  was  great  good  fortune;  then  Abdullah  was  alive,  and  I 
hoped  my  detachment  was  all  right! 

We  crossed  the  broad  river,  and  upon  close  arrival  we  discov- 
ered that  two  of  the  messengers  were  well  known  to  us,  one  of 
whom  was  Jarro,  the  interpreter  of  the  great  sheik,  Hot  Jarma. 

The  first  gleam  of  pleasure  with  which  I  had  welcomed  these 
messengers  quickly  changed  to  considerable  anxiety. 

I  was  now  informed  that  the  attempt  to  destroy  us  by  poison, 
and  subsequently  by  a  treacherous  attack  at  Masindi,  was  main- 
ly due  to  the  intrigues  of  Abou  Saood,  who  had  originally  ad- 
vised Kabba  Rega  to  resist  me  should  I  arrive  in  his  country. 
This  traitor,  Abou  Saood,  had  considered  that  we  should  be  cer- 
tainly massacred  when  once  in  the  heart  of  Unyoro.  He  had 
therefore  assumed  a  despotic  command  of  Fatiko  and  all  the 
neighboring  countries  shortly  after  my  departure,  and  he  had 
given  orders  to  the  natives  and  to  the  sheik,  Rot  Jarma,  that 
"no  supplies  of  corn  should  be  provided  for  Major  Abdullah's 
troops." 

Rot  Jarma  had  been  faithful  to  the  government,  and  his  peo- 
ple had  carried  corn  to  Major  Abdullah.  Abou  Saood  had 
therefore  ordered  his  men  to  attack  Rot  Jarma.  They  had  ac- 
cordingly surprised  him  while  believing  in  the  protection  of  the 
government,  and  had  captured  his  cattle,  together  with  a  number 
of  slaves.  In  that  attack  the  brigands  had  lost  five  men,  whose 
guns  had  been  subsequently  taken  to  Kabba  Rega  for  sale  by  the 
natives  we  had  seen  at  Masindi. 

Abou  Saood  then,  enraged  at  the  loss  of  five  men,  together 
with  their  guns,  had  sent  for  Wat-el-Mek  from  Faloro,  and  gave 
him  the  command  above  the  well-known  Ali  Hussein,  with  or- 
ders to  carry  fire  and  sword  through  the  country. 

Major  Abdullah  had  vainly  expostulated.  Abou  Saood  had 
personally  threatened  him  ;  and  Ali  Hussein  and  an  officer  named 
Lazim,  with  some  others,  had  gone  armed  into  the  government 
camp,  and  had  actually  seized  natives  who  had  taken  refuge  with 


426 


ISMAILlA. 


Abdullah,  from  whose  house  they  were  thus  dragged  by  force,  in 
defiance  of  authority. 

When  the  news  arrived  from  Foweera  that  I  had  punished 
Suleiman  for  the  murder  of  the  prisoner,  both  Abou  Saood  and 
his  people  had  declared  that  they  "  would  secure  Major  Abdullah 
in  a  forked  pole,  or  sheba,  and  treat  him  in  a  similar  manner." 
They  had  also  threatened  to  attack  the  government  camp. 

Major  Abdullah  had  written  to  me  at  Masindi  requesting  in- 
structions; he  had  intrusted  the  letter  to  a  native  of  Faieera. 
This  man  had  most  unfortunately  arrived  at  Masinda  late  in  the 
evening  upon  which  the  troops  had  been  poisoned.  On  the  fol- 
lowing morning  he  was  a  witness  to  the  murder  of  poor  Monsoor 
and  Ferritch  Baggara;  and  when  the  general  action  commenced, 
he  climbed  up  a  tree  at  no  great  distance  from  the  station,  and 
cried  out  that  "he  was  the  bearer  of  a  letter  from  Abdullah." 

The  bullets  whizzed  so  thickly  about  him  that  he  descended 
from  his  post;  and  then,  being  alarmed  lest  he  might  be  killed 
by  the  natives  should  his  mission  be  discovered,  he  had  run 
away  as  fast  as  possible,  and  had  returned  one  hundred  and  six- 
ty miles  to  Fatiko.  Thus  I  never  received  Major  Abdullah's 
letter. 

The  letter-carrier,  having  seen  our  handful  of  men  surrounded 
by  many  thousands  of  the  enemy  in  Masindi,  and  knowing  that 
the  perfect  organization  of  Unyoro  would  bring  countless  enemies 
upon  us,  who  would  occupy  the  routes  by  ambuscades,  had  con- 
sidered our  position  hopeless. 

The  report  was  spread  "  that  we  were  all  destroyed :"  thus 
Abou  Saood  was  delighted. 

Some  days  later  my  party  arrived  that  had  left  Masindi  on  the 
23d  of  May  with  the  post  for  Fatiko,  together  with  the  prisoner 
Suleiman. 

These  people  had  suffered  terribly,  and  had  lost  eleven  men 
killed,  exclusive  of  one  who  had  died  on  the  way  from  fatigue. 

The  treacherous  plan  arranged  by  Kabba  Eega  had  failed,  and 
the  natives  had  attacked  them  before  the  time  appointed.  This 
will  be  described  hereafter. 

Suleiman  was  no  longer  a  prisoner,  but  he  commanded  the 
Fabbo  station  for  Abou  Saood. 

Wat-el-Mek  had  received  my  letter,  and  he  wished  to  serve  the 
government ;  but  Abou  Saood  had  prevented  him  ;  and,  now  that 
I  was  supposed  to  be  dead,  it  would  be  impossible. 

This  man,  Wat-el-Mek,  had  nevertheless  behaved  well,  as  he 
had  immediately  demanded  one  hundred  men  from  Abou  Saood, 


OUE  SOLITARY  SHEEP  IS  STOLEN. 


427 


and  fifty  men  from  Abdullah,  in  order  to  march  to  Unyoro,  join 
Rionga,  and  with  a  native  army  he  would  have  searched  for  us 
throughout  the  country. 

Abou  Saood  had  refused  to  give  the  one  hundred  men ;  there- 
fore we  had  been  left  to  our  fate. 

The  result  of  the  story  was  that  I  must  hurry  on  to  Fatiko ; 
Eot  Jarma  had  sent  his  messengers  to  discover  me,  whether  dead 
or  alive ;  and  should  I  not  march  quickly,  Abdullah  might  be 
attacked  and  overpowered,  and  the  slave-hunters  would  possess 
themselves  of  all  the  ammunition  and  stores  

This  was  not  very  refreshing  news,  after  all  the  troubles  we 
had  gone  through. 

Had  I  received  this  important  intelligence  during  my  stay  with 
Rionga,  I  should  not  have  left  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  with  sixty 
men  behind  me.  It  would  not  do  to  waste  time  by  halting  ;  and 
should  I  send  to  recall  Abd-el-Kader  immediately  after  my  de- 
parture, the  effect  upon  Rionga  would  create  suspicion.  The 
withdrawal  of  the  troops  would  destroy  all  confidence  on  the  part 
of  his  native  allies. 

I  gave  the  order  to  march  forward  at  once. 

My  horse,  Jamoos,  now  the  only  survivor  of  all  those  that  I 
had  brought  from  Cairo,  was  in  good  condition,  but  he  suffered 
from  a  woeful  sore  back,  occasioned  by  the  heavy  load  that  he 
had  carried  from  Masindi.  My  wife  was  therefore  obliged  to  walk, 
as  the  mud  was  too  deep  for  the  solitary  donkey,  who  was  weak 
and  ill. 

For  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half  we  had  to  wade  through  flood- 
ed marshes  nearly  hip -deep;  the  heavy  rains  had  made  the 
country  boggy  and  unpleasant. 

We  had  one  sheep  for  the  journey  of  seventy-nine  miles,  but 
this  was  missing  upon  the  second  day's  march,  and  we  subsequent- 
ly discovered  that  it  had  been  stolen  and  eaten  by  our  guide  and 
the  carriers  supplied  by  Rionga.  We  were  thus  reduced  to  dried 
fish  in  the  place  of  our  lost  mutton,  for  which  we  felt  inclined  to 
go  into  mourning. 

Although  we  had  been  badly  fed  of  late,  and  for  twenty-three 
days  had  been  without  solid  animal  food  (from  the  march  from 
Masindi),  we  were  nevertheless  in  excellent  health,  and  always 
hungry. 

We  marched  well  through  the  uninhabited  wilderness  of  forest, 
high  grass,  and  swamps,  and  arrived  at  the  village  of  Sharga,  ten 
miles  from  Fatiko,  on  August  1st,  1872. 

The  people  had  collected  in  considerable  numbers  to  receive 


428 


ISMAILlA. 


us,  and  we  were  presented  with  a  fat  ox  for  the  troops,  thirteen 
large  jars  of  merissa,  and  a  very  plump  sheep  for  ourselves. 

The  soldiers  were  delighted,  poor  fellows,  and  we  likewise 
looked  forward  with  no  small  pleasure  to  a  good  stew. 

Numerous  sheiks  had  collected  to  receive  us,  and  a  formal  com- 
plaint and  protest  was  made  against  Abou  Saood  and  his  people. 

An  attack  had  been  already  planned,  and  Abdullah  and  his 
small  detachment  of  one  hundred  men  would  be  overpowered. 
They  were  already  disheartened,  as  they  believed  that  we  were 
dead,  and  they  had  been  daily  taunted  with  this  fact  by  the 
brigands,  who  asked  them  "  what  they  were  going  to  do,  now 
that  the  Pasha  was  killed." 

Abou  Saood,  having  given  his  orders  to  Wat-el-Mek,  and  to 
the  ruffian  Ali  Hussein,  had  withdrawn  to  the  station  of  Fabbo, 
twenty-two  miles  west  of  Fatiko,  to  which  place  he  had  carried 
all  the  ivory.    He  was  not  fond  of  fighting,  personally. 

The  natives  corroborated  the  information  I  had  received  from 
Kot  Jarma's  messengers.  They  declared  that  not  only  had  wom- 
en and  children  been  carried  off,  but  that  the  slave-hunters  under 
Ali  Hussein  had  cut  the  throats  of  many  of  their  women  before 
their  eyes,  and  had  dashed  the  brains  of  the  young  children  upon 
the  rocks,  in  derision  of  my  power,  saying,  "  Now  see  if  the  Nuz- 
zerani  (Christian)  can  protect  you !" 

They  declared  that  Wat-el-Mek  really  wished  to  join  the  gov- 
ernment, but  that  when  he  got  drunk  both  Abou  Saood  and  oth- 
ers could  induce  him  to  behave  badly. 

There  were  several  hundred  people  present  at  this  meeting,  and 
the  sheiks  wound  up  in  a  cool  and  temperate  manner,  by  advis- 
ing me  "  not  to  judge  from  what  they  had  told  me,  but  simply  to 
march  early  on  the  following  morning  to  Fatiko,  and  to  receive 
the  report  direct  from  my  own  commandant,  Major  Abdullah. 

"If  he  contradicts  us,  you  may  say  that  we  are  liars;  then 
never  believe  us  again." 

This  was  the  conclusion  of  the  palaver. 

The  morning  of  August  2d  arrived,  and  we  started  at  6.20  A.M., 
and  marched  fast  over  a  beautiful  country  of  dells,  woods,  and 
open  park-like  lands,  until  we  ascended  the  hill  that  rose  toward 
the  high  plateau  of  Fatiko. 

As  we  passed  the  numerous  villages  we  were  joined  by  curious 
bands  of  natives,  who  by  degrees  swelled  our  party  to  nearly  a 
thousand  persons.  There  was  no  doubt  that  these  people  expect- 
ed to  witness  a  row,  as  they  knew  that  Abdullah  had  been  threat- 
ened.   It  was  therefore  highly  probable  that  we  might  be  attack- 


JUNCTION  WITH  MAJOR  ABDULLAH. 


429 


ed,  as  the  slave-hunters  would  imagine  that  my  small  force  of  forty 
men  was  the  last  remnant  of  my  detachment. 

No  one  at  Fatiko  had  an  idea  of  my  existence  :  thus  we  should 
arrive  as  though  risen  from  the  dead. 

I  halted  the  men  on  a  large  flat  rock  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
south  of  Fatiko.  Here  they  changed  their  clothes,  and  dressed 
in  their  best  scarlet  uniforms  and  white  linen  trowsers. 

We  again  marched  forward,  until,  upon  gaining  the  race-course- 
like plateau,  we  perceived  the  station  in  the  distance. 

The  bugles  now  sounded  the  "  assembly,"  to  apprise  Major 
Abdullah  of  our  approach.  We  then  marched  to  the  bugles  and 
drums,  while  the  natives,  who  delight  in  music,  struck  up  an  ac- 
companiment on  their  whistles.  My  wife  was  riding  the  horse, 
as  his  back  was  nearly  recovered. 

With  the  telescope  I  now  perceived  a  great  stir  in  Major  Ab- 
dullah's camp.  The  men  were  running  to  and  fro;  presently  red 
dots  appeared  ;  these  rapidly  increased,  until  a  thin  line  of  scarlet 
showed  me  that  his  troops  were  drawn  up  outside  the  camp  to 
receive  us. 

We  arrived  at  9.30  a.m.  The  first  formalities  having  been  gone 
through,  the  troops  embraced  their  friends,  and  I  shook  Major 
Abdullah  warmly  by  the  hand,  and  asked  him  for  immediate  news. 
He  merely  replied,  "Thank  God,  sir,  you  are  safe  and  arrived 
here ;  all  will  go  well,  now  that  you  are  alive  again.  I  have  kept 
a  journal,  and  when  you  have  rested,  I  will  hand  you  my  report 
in  writing." 

My  old  dragoman,  Mohammed,  had  burst  out  crying  with  joy 
at  our  arrival ;  and  he  assured  me  that  it  was  most  fortunate  that 
I  had  arrived,  as  affairs  had  become  worse  than  ever. 

The  natives  that  had  accompanied  us  had  ascended  the  large 
flat  rock  which  commanded  the  station  (and  which  now  forms  the 
citadel),  upon  which  they  had  squatted  down,  like  a  flock  of  cor- 
morants, to  observe  all  that  passed. 

No  one  had  come  to  salute  me  from  Abou  Saood's  station, 
which  was  almost  a  portion  of  that  belonging  to  the  government, 
as  it  was  only  separated  by  a  level  turf  ninety  yards  across. 

The  absence  of  the  vakeel  and  his  people  was  a  studied  insult, 
as  it  was  his  duty  to  have  at  once  appeared,  with  his  men  in  line 
to  receive  us. 

A  hut  having  been  swept  out,  I  entered  to  change  my  dress,  as 
I  wished  to  inspect  the  troops.  I  never  wore  a  uniform  in  this 
country,  except  upon  state  occasions,  but  a  simple  Norfolk  shirt 
of  thick  white  cotton,  and  trowsers  of  the  same  material.  This, 


430 


ISMAILlA. 


with  an  Egyptian  silk  coffeeah  arranged  over  my  old  helmet  hat, 
was  sufficient  for  Central  Africa. 

I  ordered  Major  Abdullah  to  form  the  troops  in  line,  as  I  wish- 
ed to  inspect  them. 

At  the  sound  of  the  bugle,  they  formed  two  deep  on  the  beau- 
tiful turf  outside  the  slight  fence  which  surrounded  the  camp. 
My  horse,  having  been  rubbed  clown  and  quickly  saddled,  was 
led  through  the  narrow  wicket;  having  mounted,  I  rode  down 
the  line  and  made  a  short  inspection  of  the  troops,  who  appeared 
to  be  in  excellent  health. 

I  was  just  returning  to  the  camp,  and  was  about  to  dismount, 
as  I  could  not  ride  through  the  extremely  narrow  wicket,  when 
I  was  begged  by  Major  Abdullah  to  wait  a  little  longer,  as  the 
people  of  Wat-el-Mek  were  now  approaching  with  their  numer- 
ous flags,  to  salute  me  according  to  the  usual  custom. 

Seven  large  silk  crimson  flags  upon  tall  staffs  headed  with 
lance-points,  and  ornamented  with  balls  of  black  ostrich-feathers, 
marked  the  intervals  of  the  advancing  line  of  ruffians. 

They  were  about  two  hundred  and  seventy  strong,  and  they 
now  formed  a  line  in  very  open  order,  exactly  facing  the  govern- 
ment troops,  at  about  forty  yards'  distance.  Two  principal  offi- 
cers, Wat-el-Mek  and  the  celebrated  Ali  Hussein,  were  exceeding- 
ly busy  in  running  up  and  down  the  line  and  forming  their  men, 
so  as  to  make  the  greatest  display  of  force.  Wat-el-Mek  was 
dressed  in  bright  yellow,  with  loose  flowing  trowsers.  Ali  Hus- 
sein was  in  a  snow-white  long  robe,  with  black  trowsers.  The 
officers  were  distinguished  by  clean  clothes,  but  the  men  were 
clad  in  various  costumes,  generally  formed  of  tanned  leather. 

By  way  of  complimenting  me,  they  had  brought  two  large 
cases  of  ammunition — each  a  load  for  a  native ! 

These  boxes  were  placed  with  a  guard  beneath  a  tree.  My 
wife,  who  had  as  usual  come  to  watch  the  proceedings,  now  beg- 
ged me  to  dismount,  as  she  had  noticed  the  cases  of  cartridges, 
and  she  feared  I  might  be  treacherously  shot. 

Of  course  I  remained  on  horseback  until  the  company  had 
completed  their  arrangements.  They  now  stood  in  position,  with 
their  officers  in  their  respective  places,  but  no  one  moved  for- 
ward. 

I  could  not  believe  that  they  would  have  the  audacity  to  at- 
tack the  government  troops ;  but  having  waited  for  some  time 
face  to  face,  without  the  slightest  "salaam"  having  been  made  by 
the  officers  of  Abou  Saood,  I  ordered  Major  Abdullah  to  retire 
to  the  camp  with  his  troops,  and  to  disperse. 


THE  SLA  VE  -  H  UXTEIiS '  THE  ACHE  It  Y. 


431 


I  then  requested  him  to  send  for  Wat-el-Mek,  as  I  wished  to 
speak  with  him  immediately. 

With  much  patience,  I  waited  within  the  station  for  about 
half  an  hour;  during  which  time,  five  different  officers  had  gone 
to  call  Wat-el-Mek,  and  each  had  returned  with  a  message  that 
"  he  would  come  presently." 

At  length  two  of  his  people,  who  had  in  my  absence  insulted 
and  threatened  to  attack  Major  Abdullah,  arrived  in  the  camp 
with  a  message  "that  both  the  vakeels  were  sick."  I  ordered 
these  men  to  be  detained. 

I  could  no  longer  stand  this  insolence,  as  I  at  once  understood 
that  they  refused  to  appear.  Accordingly,  I  instructed  Major 
Abdullah  to  go  himself  with  a  few  soldiers ;  and  should  Wat-el- 
Mek  refuse  to  obey  my  order  to  accompany  him,  he  should  put 
him  under  arrest. 

The  bugle  summoned  the  men  who  had  dispersed,  and  they 
immediately  formed  two  deep  in  the  small  open  space  within  the 
camp  to  receive  instructions.  At  this  time  Lieutenant  Baker 
volunteered  to  go  and  speak  to  Wat-el-Mek,  who  would  (he 
thought)  be  more  likely  to  listen  to  him  than  to  Major  Abdullah, 
who  had  so  frequently  been  insulted  by  the  slave-hunters  during 
my  absence. 

I  agreed  that  it  would  be  advisable ;  at  the  same  time  he  must 
be  accompanied  by  some  troops.  I  therefore  began  to  address 
the  men  who  were  standing  before  me,  and  I  instructed  them  to 
obey  Lieutenant  Baker  implicitly,  and  upon  no  account  to — 

My  instructions  were  interrupted  by  a  volley  of  musketry  con- 
centrated upon  the  mass  of  scarlet  uniforms ! 

Without  the  slightest  provocation  we  were  thus  treacherously 
attacked,  and  heavy  file-firing  continued  upon  the  station.  The 
bullets  were  whistling  through  the  straw  huts,  and  seven  of  my 
men,  including  Molodi,  were  struck  within  a  few  seconds. 

My  wife,  who  was  always  ready  in  any  emergency,  rushed  out 
of  her  hut  with  my  rifle  and  belt. 

The  soldiers  had  already  commenced  firing  by  the  time  that  I 
was  armed  and  had  reached  the  front,  by  the  edge  of  the  light 
fence  of  wattles,  that  were  inferior  to  the  weakest  hurdles. 

I  now  observed  the  enemy  about  ninet}^  yards  distant ;  many 
of  them  were  kneeling  on  the  ground  and  firing,  but  immediately 
after  taking  a  shot  they  retired  behind  the  huts  to  reload.  In 
this  manner  they  were  keeping  up  a  hot  fire. 

I  perceived  a  man  in  white  upper  garments,  but  with  black 
trowsers :  this  fellow  knelt  and  fired.    I  immediately  took  a  shot 


432 


ISMAIL'tA. 


at  him  with  the  "Dutchman  ;"  and  without  delay  I  kept  loading 
and  firing  my  favorite  little  breech-loader  at  every  man  of  the 
enemy  that  was  decently  dressed. 

We  should  have  lost  many  men  if  this  hiding  behind  huts 
and  popping  from  cover  had  been  allowed  to  continue.  I  there- 
fore called  my  "Forty  Thieves"  together,  and  ordered  the  bugler 
to  sound  the  charge  with  the  bayonet. 

Pushing  through  the  narrow  wicket  gate-way,  I  formed  some 
thirty  or  forty  men  in  line,  and  led  them  at  full  speed  with  fixed 
bayonets  against  the  enemy. 

Although  the  slave-hunters  had  primed  themselves  well  with 
araki  and  merissa  before  they  had  screwed  up  courage  to  attack 
the  troops,  they  were  not  quite  up  to  standing  before  a  bayonet 
charge.  The  "  Forty  Thieves"  were  awkward  customers,  and  in 
a  quarter  of  a  minute  they  were  among  them. 

The  enemy  were  regularly  crumpled  up ;  and  had  they  not 
taken  to  flight,  they  would  have  been  bayoneted  to  a  man. 

I  now  saw  Wat-el-Mek,  in  his  unmistakable  yellow  suit;  he 
was  marching  alone  across  a  road  about  one  hundred  and  eighty 
3^ards  distant. 

He  was  crossing  to  my  right;  and  I  imagined,  as  he  was  alone, 
that  he  intended  to  screen  himself  behind  the  houses,  and  then  to 
surrender. 

To  my  surprise,  I  observed  that  when  he  recognized  me,  he  at 
once  raised  his  gun  and  took  a  steady  aim. 

I  was  at  that  moment  reloading;  but  I  was  ready  the  instant 
that  he  had  fired  and  missed  me. 

He  now  walked  quickly  toward  a  hut  across  to  my  right.  I 
allowed  about  half  a  foot  before  him  for  his  pace,  and  the  "  Dutch- 
man" had  a  word  to  say. 

The  bullet  struck  his  right  hand,  taking  the  middle  finger  off 
at  the  root,  and  then  striking  the  gun  in  the  middle  of  the  lock 
plate,  it  cut  it  completely  in  halves  as  though  it  had  been  divided 
by  a  blow  with  an  axe.  He  was  almost  immediately  taken  pris- 
oner. One  of  "  The  Forty  "  (Seroor)  was  so  enraged  that  he  was 
with  difficulty  prevented  from  finishing  Wat-el-Mek  with  a  bay- 
onet-thrust. 

I  now  ordered  a  general  advance  at  the  double,  and  the  troops 
spread  out  through  the  extensive  town  of  huts,  which  occupied 
about  thirty  acres. 

As  we  ran  through  the  town,  I  observed  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  of  the  enemy  had  rallied  around  their  flags,  and  were 
retreating  quickly,  but  steadily,  in  the  direction  of  the  Shooa 


PC11SC IT  OF  THE  REBELS. 


4'Xi 


hill.  They  continued  to  turn  and  fire  from  the  rear  of  their 
party. 

Having  reduced  the  distance  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards,  the  crimson  silk  banners  afforded  excellent  marks  for  rifle 
practice.  They  fell  to  the  right  and  left;  the  shots  were  directed 
a  little  low,  so  as  to  hit  the  bearers.  In  a  few  minutes  not  a  flag 
was  to  be  seen !  The  fatal  Sniders  poured  bullets  into  the  dense 
body  of  men,  who,  after  wavering  to  and  fro  as  the  shots  thinned 
their  number,  at  length  ran  off  without  any  further  effort  to  main- 
tain a  formation. 

For  upward  of  four  miles  Lieutenant  Baker  and  I  chased  these 
ruffians  with  the  "  Forty  Thieves."  Many  were  killed  in  the 
pursuit;  and  upon  our  return  to  the  camp  at  Fatiko  at  2  p.m.. 
we  had  captured  a  herd  of  three  hundred  and  six  cattle,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  slaves,  fifteen  donkeys,  forty -three  prisoners,  sev- 
en flags,  together  with  the  entire  station. 

The  enemy  had  suffered  the  loss  of  more  than  half  their  partv 
killed. 

The  actual  fighting  had  been  done  by  the  "Forty  Thieves," 
and  the  men  of  Abdullah's  detachment  had  behaved  disgraceful- 
ly. Instead  of  following  the  enemy  in  the  retreat,  they  had  fra- 
ternized with  a  crowd  of  natives  in  pillaging  the  extensive  sta- 
tion. 

I  now  had  to  clear  all  these  fellows  out.  The  officers  appeared 
to  have  quite  lost  their  heads;  and  the  natives  had  carried  off  all 
the  guns  and  ammunition  from  the  dead  men,  and  had  sacked 
and  plundered  the  powder-magazine. 

My  wife  had  placed  sentries  on  the  high  rocks  which  com- 
manded a  view  of  the  entire  country ;  she  had  also  had  the  cattle 
driven  within  the  fence,  and  she  had  secured  the  prisoners,  includ- 
ing Wat-el-Mek,  in  two  large  huts,  over  which  she  had  placed  a 
guard.  The  officers  had  been  so  completely  bewildered  by  the 
suddenness  of  the  affair  that  their  wits  had  been  exercised  in 
an  extraordinary  direction.  They  had  commenced  firing  Hale's 
rockets  while  we  were  in  advance  pursuing  the  enemy,  and  a 
couple  of  these  screeching  projectiles  had  actually  passed  over 
my  head. 

We  had  neither  eaten  nor  drunk  since  the  preceding  evening, 
with  the  exception  of  some  water  that  we  had  procured  from  a 
stream  at  the  extreme  limit  of  the  pursuit,  where  we  had  lost  the 
enemy,  who  had  scattered  in  the  forest. 

With  her  usual  forethought,  my  wife  had  ordered  the  cook  to 
have  breakfast  ready ;  and  having  washed  hands  and  faces,  we 


ISM  A  ILIA. 


sat  down  to  a  good  curry  of  mutton,  and  excellent  cafe-au-lait,  the 
milk  having  been  obtained  from  the  captured  cows. 

We  had  worked  fairly  that  morning,  having  marched  ten 
miles  from  Sharga;  then  fought  the  rebels,  and  run  four  miles 
in  pursuit,  and  four  miles  on  our  return,  through  an  exceedingly 
rough  county. 

My  old  friends,  Gimoro  and  Shooli,  were  delighted  to  see  us 
again.  The  native  sheiks  thronged  round  the  entrance  of  our 
hut  to  congratulate  us  on  the  defeat  of  the  rebels,  and  messengers 
had  been  already  sent  off  to  Rot  Jarma  and  all  the  principal  head 
men  of  the  country. 

Wat-el-Mek  was  safe.  I  knew  that  most  of  the  principal  offi- 
cers were  either  killed  or  wounded ;  but  I  was  anxious  to  be  as- 
sured of  the  fate  of  the  arch-ruffian,  Ali  Hussein. 

"Where  is  Ali  Hussein?"  I  asked  the  natives. 

"Dead/"  cried  a  number  of  voices. 

"Are  you  certain?"  I  asked. 

"We  will  bring  you  his  head,  for  he  is  not  far  off,"  they  re- 
plied ;  and  several  men  started  immediately. 

We  were  very  hungry;  and  as  curry  is  quickly  eaten,  we 
were  not  long  at  breakfast;  this  was  hardly  concluded  when 
some  natives  rushed  to  the  open  door,  and  throwing  something 
heavy  on  the  floor  of  the  hut,  I  saw  at  my  feet  the  bloody  head 
of  Ali  Hussein ! 

There  was  no  mistake  in  the  person.  The  villainous  expres- 
sion was  as  strongly  marked  upon  the  features  in  death  as  it  had 
been  in  life. 

The  natives  had  appropriated  his  clothes,  which  they  described 
as  "a  long  white  robe  and  black  trowsers."  Ali  Hussein  had 
been  struck  by  two  bullets;  one  had  broken  his  arm,  and  the 
other  had  passed  through  his  thigh.  He  was  alive  when  the 
natives  discovered  him;  but  as  he  had  been  the  scourge  of  the 
country,  he,  of  course,  received  no  mercy  from  them. 


EVIDENCE  AGAINST  ABOU  SAOOD. 


435 


CHAPTER  XXIY. 

NO  MEDICAL  MEN. 

The  death  of  the  unfortunate  Dr.  Gedge,  my  chief  medical  offi- 
cer at  Tewfikeeyah,  added  to  the  retirement  of  one  of  the  Egyp- 
tian surgeons  from  Gondokoro,  had  left  me  with  so  weak  a  medical 
staff  that  I  had  been  unable  to  take  a  doctor  from  head-quarters. 
I  therefore  was  compelled  to  perform  all  necessary  operations 
myself,  and  to  attend  personally  upon  the  wounded  men. 

In  the  -late  encounter,  although  I  had  not  actually  lost  a  sol- 
dier, seven  were  badly  wounded.  One  had  a  broken  thigh,  and 
the  bullet  had  remained  in  the  leg.  Two  had  smashed  ankle- 
joints,  in  one  of  which  the  ball  remained  fixed  among  the  bones. 
Some  of  the  prisoners  were  also  wounded,  and  one  shortly  died. 

Wat-el-Mek's  hand  was  much  lacerated,  in  addition  to  the  loss 
of  the  middle  finger. 

I  dressed  all  the  wounds  with  a  weak  solution  of  carbolic  acid. 
After  some  trouble,  I  extracted  the  bullet  from  the  broken  thigh,* 
and  set  the  bone. 

Wat-el-Mek  had  two  excellent  English  double-barreled  guns. 
That  destroyed  by  the  "Dutchman"  was  a  gun  by  Blissett,  of 
London,  which  had  been  given  to  him  by  Captain  Speke  when 
he  parted  at  Gondokoro;  the  other  was  my  own  old  gun,  that  I 
had  given  to  Ibrahim  when  I  traveled  with  him  during  my  first 
journey  in  Africa. 

On  August  3d  I  took  evidence  against  Abou  Saood.  Moham- 
med Wat-el-Mek,  and  a  prisoner  named  Besheer,  who  was  an  of- 
ficer in  the  same  company,  both  swore  upon  the  Koran  that,  in 
firing  at  me,  "they  had  only  obeyed  the  orders  of  Abou  Saood, 
who  had  instructed  them  to  attack  me  and  the  government 
troops,  should  I  attempt  to  interfere  with  their  proceedings." 

Wat-el-Mek  declared  upon  oath  that  he  had  always  wished  to 
serve  me,  but  he  had  been  prevented  by  Abou  Saood  and  oth- 
ers, and  he  had  now  been  rightly  punished.  This,  he  said,  was 
"God's  hand."    He  had  been  in  countless  fights  with  natives 


*  This  man  was  one  of  "The  Forty,"  and  about  two  months  after  the  wound  he 
was  again  on  duty,  and  only  slightly  lame. 


436 


ISMAILlA. 


during  many  years,  and  he  was  possessed  of  powerful  charms 
and  spells,  including  numerous  verses  from  the  Koran  suspend- 
ed from  his  arms ;  these  had  always  protected  him  until  the  day 
when  he  had  raised  his  hand  against  the  government.  His 
charms  had  at  once  failed  him,  and  he  had  lost  both  his  finger 
and  the  gun  with  which  he  had  fired  at  me. 

My  officers  and  soldiers  really  believed  that  I  had  purposely 
cut  his  finger  off,  and  smashed  his  gun  by  a  rifle-shot,  to  prove 
to  him  what  I  could  accomplish  with  a  rifle,  and  thus  to  warn  a 
man  who  would  be  useful  to  me,  instead  of  killing  him. 

Wat-el-Mek  now  offered  to  swear  upon  the  Koran  fidelity  and 
allegiance  if  I  would  pardon  him;  and  he  would  at  once  prove 
his  sincerity  by  raising  an  irregular  corps. 

This  man  was  a  curious  character ;  his  superstitious  nature  had 
been  seized  with  the  conviction  that  his  present  position  was  a 
special  visitation  of  divine  wrath.  He' was  a  courageous  fellow, 
and  he  knew  the  country  and  the  natives  better  than  any  man 
living.  I  had  always  wished  to  engage  his  services,  and  I  con- 
sidered this  an  excellent  opportunity. 

The  officers  now  begged  me  to  forgive  him.  He  was  led  away 
to  a  stream  of  clear  water,  where  he  went  through  the  process  of 
washing  with  a  cake  of  soap,  which  was  sorely  needed.  He  was 
then  dressed  in  clean  clothes  that  were  lent  to  him  for  that  pur- 
pose, and  the  Koran  was  brought  and  laid  open  at  a  particular 
passage. 

Placing  his  wounded  hand  upon  the  page,  he  repeated  with 
great  devotion  the  formal  oath.* 

I  now  gave  him  a  few  words  of  good  advice,  encouraging  his 
preconceived  idea  that  Grod  had  chastised  him  specially,  and  that 
the  future  would  depend  upon  his  own  conduct. 

Having  thus  secured  this  valuable  man,  whom  I  had  always 
wished  to  engage  at  the  commencement  of  the  expedition,  there 
was  much  to  be  done,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to  make  a  few  ex- 
tracts from  my  journal  that  will  better  explain  the  position : 

"August  5,  1872. — I  ought  to  hang  Abou  Saoocl,  but  much  di- 
plomacy is  necessary.  The  rebels  in  their  three  stations,  Fabbo, 
Faloro,  and  Farragenia,  number  about  six  hundred,  exclusive  of 
armed  Baris. 

"  I  have  with  me  one  hundred  and  forty-six  men,  including  of- 
ficers. Should  I  raise  the  whole  country,  the  difficulty  would  be 
to  prevent  the  natives  from  exterminating  Abou  Saood  and  the 


*  Wat-el-Mek  always  behaved  well  from  that  time. 


DIPLOMACY  NECESSARY. 


437 


whole  of  his  forces.  Should  such  an  event  occur,  how  should  I 
be  able  to  occupy  this  extensive  country  with  so  small  a  force? 
I  have  lately  had  a  painful  lesson  in  the  treachery  of  Kabba 
Kega,  who,  when  I  had  relieved  him  of  his  enemies,  the  slave- 
traders,  immediately  turned  against  me.  These  natives  might 
probably  do  the  same.  Negroes  respect  nothing  but  force  ;  and 
the  force  that  now  exists,  if  removed,  will  leave  them  free  to  act 
against  the  government.  Already  they  have  benefited  by  the 
fight  with  the  slave-hunters,  by  running  of!  with  the  arms  and 
ammunition,  together  with  a  number  of  cattle,  while  our  troops 
were  engaged  with  the  enemy." 

I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  unwise  to  get  rid  of 
the  slave-hunters  by  physical  force.  Although  I  felt  that  they 
were  entirely  in  my  power,  as  I  could  bombard  their  stations 
with  Hale's  rockets  if  they  should  refuse  to  turn  out,  the  natives 
would,  in  the  event  of  a  fight,  most  assuredly  possess  themselves 
of  the  guns  and  ammunition. 

With  one  hundred  and  forty-six  men,  I  could  not  take  more 
than  eighty  men  to  act  against  six  hundred,  as  the  small  force  of 
sixty-six  would  be  the  minimum  that  I  could  leave  to  protect  the 
Fatiko  station.  If  with  eighty  men,  together  with  a  wild  army 
of  natives,  I  should  attack  Fabbo  (in  which  I  had  heard  that 
Abou  Saood  was  concentrating  his  people  from  the  other  sta- 
tions), every  one  of  the  slave-traders  would  be  massacred.  It 
would  be  impossible  for  eighty  men  to  fight,  and  to  secure  at  the 
same  time  the  six  hundred  stand  of  arms  that  would  be  in  the 
hands  of  the  rebels.  These,  together  with  the  muskets  belonging 
to  the  Baris,  would  all  fall  into  the  possession  of  my  native  allies, 
who  would  immediately  scatter  and  disappear  with  their  prize. 

Should  I  attack  Fabbo,  the  result  would  simply  arm  the  na- 
tives with  eight  hundred  or  nine  hundred  stand  of  muskets,  to- 
gether with  a  large  amount  of  ammunition,  which  they  might 
probably  use  against  me  at  some  future  time. 

I  resolved  to  work  diplomatically,  and  to  keep  the  slave-hunt- 
ers' party  as  a  rod  above  the  backs  of  the  natives,  until  I  should 
discover  their  real  character. 

It  had  been  necessary  to  establish  a  corn  tax*  for  the  support 


*  The  corn  tax  was  thus  estahlished.  Each  house  was  taxed  to  pay  a  small  bas- 
ket of  corn  every  full  moon.  All  old  and  infirm  people,  and  also  strangers,  were  ex- 
empted from  taxation.  The  head  man  of  each  village  was  responsible  for  the  tax, 
and  he  delivered  a  bundle  of  small  pieces  of  reed  the  size  of  drawing-pencils,  which 
represented  the  number  of  houses  belonging  to  able-bodied  men.  This  tax  was  al- 
ways paid  cheerfully,  in  gratitude  fur  the  protection  afforded  by  the  government. 

33 


438 


ISMAILlA. 


of  the  troops.  Possibly  the  natives,  if  entirely  relieved  from 
their  oppressors,  might  refuse  to  acknowledge  government  taxa- 
tion !    At  all  events  I  determined  to  proceed  cautiously. 

The  first  step  was  to  summon  Abou  Saood,  and  to  hear  his  de- 
fense from  his  own  mouth. 

I  had  given  the  prisoners  their  choice  of  either  enlisting  in  the 
government  service,  or  returning  to  Khartoum. 

Of  course  they  ought  to  have  been  shot  in  a  batch ;  but  I 
could  not  afford  to  shoot  them.  I  had  to  catch  and  tame  my 
wild  beasts  instead  of  destroying  them. 

A  considerable  number  agreed  to  serve  under  Wat-el-Mek. 

I  wrote,  on  August  5th,  a  letter  addressed  to  Abou  Saood, 
summoning  him  to  appear  instantly  at  Fatiko ;  at  the  same  time 
I  promised  him  a  free  exit ;  without  which  written  assurance  I 
might  as  well  have  summoned  the  man  in  the  moon. 

It  was  difficult  to  procure  natives  who  would  accompany  the 
new  irregulars  with  the  letter,  as  news  had  arrived  that  Abou 
Saood's  people  were  plundering  and  laying  waste  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Fabbo. 

At  length  I  arranged  that  eight  of  the  new  levy,  together  with 
the  native  blacksmith  and  several  others  from  Fatiko,  who  were 
well  known  in  the  Madi  country,  should  go  to  Fabbo  (twenty- 
two  miles)  with  my  letter  to  Abou  Saood.  The  blacksmith 
would  protect  the  irregulars  by  explaining  their  new  position  to 
any  natives  who  might  desire  to  molest  them. 

I  also  sent  a  proclamation  to  be  read  publicly  in  the  zareeba, 
summoning  all  subjects  of  the  Khedive  to  declare  their  alle- 
giance to  the  government. 

On  the  following  day,  August  6th,  the  blacksmith  and  his  peo- 
ple returned  from  Fabbo  thoroughly  disgusted.  Upon  their  ar- 
rival near  the  zareeba  of  Abou  Saood  they  had  cried  out  to  the 
slave-hunters  that  they  had  brought  "a  letter  from  the  Pasha  to 
Abou  Saood  !"  The  slave-hunters  had  replied  with  a  well-known 
form  of  abuse  in  that  country,  and  had  immediately  fired  a  vol- 
ley into  the  blacksmith  and  the  eight  men  of  their  own  people! 

The  blacksmith  and  his  natives  had  lost  no  time  in  running 
back  to  Fatiko ;  and  the  eight  irregulars  having  thrown  them- 
selves on  the  ground,  had  (the  blacksmith  supposed)  at  length 
explained  who  they  were. 

I  mention  these  circumstances,  as  the  European  and  American 
public  will  be  the  judges  whether  I  erred  on  the  side  of  leniency 
or  severity  throughout  this  expedition.  In  Egypt  and  the  Sou- 
dan I  have  no  doubt  that  my  name  is  hated,  as  a  Christian  that 


ABOU  SAOOD  APPEARS  BEFORE  ME.  439 

shed  the  blood  of  Mohammedans ;  but  I  trust  the  civilized  world 
will  acquit  me  of  any  blood-shedding  except  in  the  act  of  lawful 
self-defense.  If  the  Mohammedans  could  have  killed  me,  there 
would  have  been  no  crime. 

It  has  been  seen  that  not  only  were  we  treacherously  attacked 
at  Fatiko,  but  my  messengers  to  Abou  Saood  were  fired  upon 
while  he  was  in  the  camp. 

The  patience  and  forbearance  that  I  was  obliged  to  assume  were 
far  more  trying  to  my  feelings  than  the  march  from  Masindi. 

It  has  always  been  an  intense  satisfaction  to  me  that  I  had  re- 
liable witnesses  to  every  incident  of  the  expedition ;  otherwise  I 
might  perhaps  have  been  suspected  of  some  prejudice  against 
Abou  Saood  and  certain  Egyptian  authorities  that,  unknown  to 
myself,  might  have  discolored  the  true  aspect  of  affairs.  I  can 
only  refer  to  Lieutenant  Baker,  E.  N.,  and  that  gallant  officer, 
Lieutenant-colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  and  many  others,  including  all 
soldiers  and  servants  who  belonged  to  the  detachment  at  Fatiko. 

These  persons  subsequently  gave  their  evidence,  which  they 
will  be  ready  at  all  times  to  repeat. 

"On  August  7th,  at  about  5  p.m.,  Abou  Saood  appeared  with 
about  forty  of  his  men.  He  was  afraid  to  enter  my  camp  with- 
out a  second  assurance  in  writing  that  he  should  not  be  made 
prisoner. 

Of  course  he  swore  that  he  had  not  given  orders  to  fire  at  me; 
and  he  declared  that  his  people  of  Fatiko  had  only  fired  because 
they  were  afraid  that  the  natives  who  had  accompanied  me  were 
about  to  attack  them. 

I  asked  him,  "If  that  were  the  case,  why  had  they  not  commu- 
nicated with"  me,  as  I  was  only  ninety  yards  distant?"  He  said 
his  people  had  not  fired  at  the  government  troops,  but  only  at 
the  natives  who  were  upon  the  rock. 

He  could  not  quite  explain  in  that  case  "how  it  was  that  one 
thousand  natives  perched  upon  the  rock  close  together  had  es- 
caped without  a  man  being  wounded,  while  not  only  were  seven 
of  the  government  troops  knocked  down  by  bullets,  but  the  huts 
and  furniture  of  our  camp,  including  boxes  in  the  magazine,  etc., 
had  been  completely  riddled  with  balls."  He  then  began  to  lay 
the  blame  on  Wat-el-Mek,  and  even  had  the  audacity  to  declare 
that "  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  slaves,  but  that  he  could  not  re- 
strain his  people  from  kidnaping."  I  never  heard  any  human 
being  pour  out  such  a  cataract  of  lies  as  this  scoundrel.  His 
plausibility  and  assurance  were  such  that  I  stood  aghast;  and  af- 
ter he  had  delivered  a  long  speech,  in  which  he  declared  that 


440 


ISMAILlA. 


"he  was  the  innocent  victim  of  adverse  circumstances,  and  that 
every  one  was  against  him,"  I  could  merely  reply  by  dismissing 
him  with  the  assurance  that  there  was  "  only  owe  really  good  and 
honest  man  in  the  world,  who  invariably  spoke  the  truth ;  this 
man  was  Abou  Saood.    All  other  men  were  liars." 

On  the  following  morning  Abou  Saood  came  to  take  leave. 
He  pretended  to  devote  himself  to  my  service,  and  declared  that 
he  should  now  at  once  return  to  Fabbo,  and  organize  the  best  of 
his  people  into  an  irregular  corps  for  the  government,  and  he 
should  act  with  energy  as  my  vakeel,  and  assist  me  in  every 
manner  possible.  He  begged  me  not  to  believe  a  word  that  any 
one  might  say  except  himself,  and  he  swore  by  the  eyes  and  head 
of  the  Prophet  (this  was  his  favorite  oath  whenever  he  told  the 
biggest  lie)  that  there  was  no  one  so  true  to  me  as  he,  which  he 
would  prove  by  his  acts.    He  then  went  back  to  Fabbo. 

This  is  the  last  time  that  I  ever  saw  Abou  Saood.  He  took 
two  hundred  men  upon  his  arrival  at  Fabbo,  and  after  having 
told  his  men  to  cut  the  throat  of  the  sheik  Werdella,  who  was  a 
prisoner  in  the  Fabbo  camp  under  my  special  orders  for  protec- 
tion, he  went  straight  to  Gondokoro  to  his  friend  Raouf  Bey. 

This  officer,  who  commanded  at  head-quarters  during  my  ab- 
sence, although  he  heard  from  Abou  Saood's  people  of  the  attack 
made  upon  me  at  Fatiko,  and  Abou  Saood  had  arrived  without 
either  a  passport  or  letters  from  myself,  positively  allowed  him 
to  depart  to  Khartoum. 

At  Khartoum  Abou  Saood  spread  every  conceivable  false  re- 
port. Thence  he  traveled  to  Cairo,  expressly  to  complain  to  the 
Khedive's  government  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been 
treated  by  me. 

Thus  the  greatest  slave-trader  of  the  "White  Nile,  who  was  so 
closely  connected  with  the  Soudan  government  that  he  was  a 
tenant  who  had  rented  a  country  which  did  not  belong  to 
Egypt,  now  applied  to  that  government  for  protection  against 
my  interference  with  his  murders,  kidnaping,  and  pillaging,  which 
were  the  accompaniments  of  his  slave-hunting  in  Central  Africa. 

The  fact  of  this  renowned  slave-hunter  having  the  audacity  to 
appeal  to  the  Egyptian  authorities  for  assistance,  at  once  exhibits 
the  confidence  that  the  slave-traders  felt  in  the  moral  support  of 
certain  official  personages  who  represented  public  opinion  in  their 
hatred  to  the  principal  object  of  the  expedition. 

The  various  links  in  the  chain  which  united  the  interests  of 
Abou  Saood  with  certain  officers  who  were  opposed  to  the  spirit 
of  the  enterprise  will  be  at  once  perceived. 


DISSENSION  AMONG  SLAVE -HUNTERS. 


441 


From  the  very  commencement,  this  man  had  been  the  chief 
intriguer  who  had  endeavored  to  ruin  the  expedition.  He  had 
fraternized  with  the  Baris  when  they  were  at  open  war  with  the 
government.  He  had  incited  the  tribes  to  attack  me,  and  at 
length  his  own  companies  had  fired  at  me  by  his  orders.  He 
now  sought  the  protection  of  the  Egyptian  government  at  Cairo. 

Although  we  shall  not  see  Abou  Saood  again,  it  will  be  inter- 
esting to  watch  the  close  of  his  career,  as  the  public  will  most 
probably  form  their  opinion  of  the  sincerity  of  the  Egyptian  gov- 
ernment respecting  the  question  of  "slavery"  by  the  ultimate 
fate  of  this  renowned  slave-hunter. 

We  shall  now  leave  Abou  Saood  in  Cairo,  where  he  spread 
the  false  report  of  the  massacre  of  Lady  Baker  and  myself,  which 
reached  England  and  appeared  in  the  newspapers  in  April,  1873. 

After  Abou  Saood's  departure  from  Fabbo,  the  influence  of 
Wat-el-Mek  began  to  be  felt,  and  many  men  flocked  to  the  gov- 
ernment standard.  Nevertheless,  that  station  was  a  scene  of  an- 
archy. The  slave-hunters  were  divided  among  themselves.  The 
party  that  followed  Wat-el-Mek  were  nearly  all  Soudanis,  like 
himself,  but  the  Arabs  were  split  up  into  companies,  each  of 
which  had  elected  a  separate  leader.  This  dissension  was  exact- 
ly what  I  desired,  and  I  played  the  game  accordingly.  As  I 
have  before  stated,  I  wished  to  avoid  physical  force. 

Ali  Genninar,  whom  I  had  engaged  at  Masindi,  was  an  excel- 
lent fellow,  and,  before  Abou  Saood  deserted  the  country,  he  had 
been  the  first  man  to  arrive  at  Fatiko  and  unite  with  the  govern- 
ment. He  now  collected  sixty -five  men,  whom  I  at  once  en- 
rolled, and  having  given  them  their  government  flags,  I  started 
them  off  without  delay  to  support  Eionga  in  Unyoro,  and  recall- 
ed Abd-el-Kader  and  his  troops  to  Fatiko.  At  the  same  time  I 
sent  Eionga  many  valuable  presents. 

There  were  several  terrible  scoundrels  at  Fabbo,  amon?  whom 
was  Salim-Wat-Howah,  who,  together  with  Lazim,  had  threaten- 
ed to  shoot  Major  Abdullah  in  his  own  camp  during  my  absence 
in  Unyoro. 

I  had  Lazim  in  irons  at  Fatiko,  but  Salim-Wat-Howah,  hav- 
ing been  dressed  in  very  dirty  brown  clothes,  had  escaped  on  the 
day  of  attack.  This  man  Salim  was  the  head  of  the  greatest 
villains  at  Fabbo,  and  he  and  his  band  of  about  one  hundred  men 
daily  sallied  out  of  the  zareeba  and  plundered  and  burned  the 
neighborhood  in  open  defiance  of  Wat-el-Mek. 

When  these  ruffians  captured  women,  they  now  cut  their 
throats  and  threw  them  into  the  Un-y-Ame  river,  explaining  to 


442 


ISMAILlA. 


the  natives  that  they  defied  me  to  "liberate"  them  when  their 
throats  were  cut. 

Every  day  the  natives  flocked  to  me  from  Fabbo  with  the 
most  dreadful  tales  of  atrocities. 

The  time  had  now  arrived  when  I  could  make  the  move  that 
I  felt  sure  would  reduce  the  country  into  order. 

The  slave-hunters  were  in  this  position  :  I  had  sent  Ali  Gen- 
ninar  with  sixty-five  men  to  Unyoro,  two  hundred  had  gone  off 
with  Abou  Saood,  one  hundred  reprobates  clung  to  Salim-Wat- 
Howab,  and  the  remainder  were  true  to  Wat-el-Mek. 

I  therefore  sent  a  message  to  Fabbo,  which  Wat-el-Mek  would 
make  public  in  the  zareeba:  "That,  having  received  daily  com- 
plaints from  the  natives  of  outrages  committed  by  Salim-Wat- 
Howah  and  his  company,  it  was  my  intention  in  forty-eight  hours 
to  visit  Fabbo  with  the  troops,  together  with  the  native  witnesses 
to  the  outrages  complained  of." 

I  ordered  "all  those  men  who  had  enlisted  in  the  government 
service,  together  with  all  others  who  were  true  to  the  Khedive, 
to  retire  from  the  Fabbo  station  to  Faloro ;  thus  Fabbo  alone 
would  represent  the  malcontents." 

I  felt  sure  that  the  dissension  which  had  existed  among  the 
various  parties  would  now  break  out  anew,  and  that  Salim-Wat- 
Howah,  fearing  a  personal  visit  from  me,  which  might  reduce 
him  to  the  headless  condition  of  Ali  Hussein,  would  follow  the 
example  of  his  master,  Abou  Saood,  and  fly  from  the  country. 

The  hint  that  I  had  given  respecting  the  retirement  of  the 
loyal  people  to  Faloro,  so  that  Fabbo  would  represent  the  dis- 
loyal, would  be  sufficient  warning  that  physical  force  was  intend- 
ed should  other  means  fail. 

The  day  upon  which  Wat-el-Mek  published  the  proclamation 
was  one  of  general  consternation  in  Fabbo. 

Wat-el-Mek  left  the  station  with  his  Soudanis. 

Salim-Wat-Howah  and  his  men  suddenly  sprang  upon  the  va- 
keel, Suleiman,  and  having  secured  him,  while  others  broke 
open  the  powder-magazine,  they  possessed  themselves  of  three 
cases  (fifteen  hundred  rounds)  of  ball-cartridge,  together  with  the 
flags  of  the  station.  With  this  prize  they  marched  out  of  the 
zareeba  with  their  slaves,  who  carried  their  luggage,  and  took 
the  road  toward  Latooka,  about  nine  days'  march  distant. 

Without  firing  a  shot,  I  had  thus  won  the  game.  All  the  bad 
people  had  found  the  country  too  hot  for  them.  The  remaining 
men  received  certificates,  and  raised  the  corps  of  irregulars  to 
three  hundred  and  twelve  officers  and  men;  all  of  whom  were 


SULEIMAN  AXD  PARTY. 


443 


nominally  under  Wat-el-Mek,  .although  Ali  Genmnar  held  a 
separate  command  in  Unyoro.  I  now  strengthened  his  party  by 
a  re-enforcement. 

From  this  date  the  victory  was  gained,  and  I  could  only  thank 
God  for  the  great  success  that  had  attended  all  my  efforts.  The 
slave-hunting  was  now  at  an  end  throughout  an  immense  dis- 
trict, as  the  slave-hunters  had  ceased  to  exist  south  of  Gondo- 
koro.  Excepting  Unyoro,  the  days  of  bloodshed  were  past.  The 
"Forty  Thieves,"  who  had  so  gallantly  stood  by  me  through 
every  difficulty,  never  again  had  an  enemy  before  them.  I  was 
devoutly  thankful  for  days  of  peace. 

My  task  was  now  full  of  pleasure  and  gratification.  I  had 
established  perfect  confidence  among  the  natives  throughout  the 
large  country  of  Shooli.  The  Lira  tribe  had  declared  their  alle- 
giance, and  we  had  friends  upon  all  sides. 

I  had  as  usual  planted  gardens  at  Fatiko,  which  were  flourish- 
ing. The  natives  no  longer  concealed  their  stores  of  corn  ;  but 
dancing  and  rejoicing  had  taken  the  place  of  watchfulness  and 
insecurity. 

The  children  and  women  flocked  to  our  camp ;  and  marketing 
upon  a  large  scale  was  conducted  without  a  squabble.  The  two 
good  men,  Shooli  and  Gimoro,  who  were  daily  visitors,  assured 
me  that  there  was  only  one  feeling  throughout  the  country,  of 
gratitude  and  good-will.  This  was  a  great  reward  to  me  for  the 
many  difficulties  we  had  undergone;  but  now  that  the  calm  days 
of  peace  had  arrived,  I  looked  back  with  keen  regret  upon  the 
good  men  that  I  had  lost,  especially  to  the  memory  of  poor  Mon- 
soor.  There  was  no  person  who  would  have  enjoyed  my  success 
so  much  as  that  worthy  man. 

It  is  now  time  to  speak  of  Suleiman  and  the  party  who  had 
left  Masindi  on  May  23d  with  the  post  for  Fatiko,  together  with 
the  three  hundred  Unyoro  carriers  who  were  to  have  transported 
Abdullah's  detachment  to  Foweera. 

The  letter  (concealed  in  a  package)  that  I  had  sent  to  Eddrees, 
with  orders  that  "the  party  should  return  at  once  to  Fatiko 
should  they  suspect  foul  play,''  had  reached  them  before  they 
had  crossed  the  Victoria  Nile. 

Mohammed,  the  Cairo  dragoman,  had  strongly  suspected  treach- 
ery, owing  to  the  unaccountable  tardiness  of  the  natives  in  push- 
ing straight  for  Fatiko.  Everv  dav  messengers  had  arrived  from 
Masindi,  and  others  had  been  returned  in  reply  by  the  sheik  Pit- 
tia,  who  had  charge  of  the  three  hundred  Unyoro  carriers. 


444 


When  my  letter  had  been  received,  Mohammed  advised  Ed- 
drees  to  return  at  once  to  Masindi;  but  the  latter,  rinding  him- 
self about  fifty  miles  on  the  journey,  concluded  that  it  would  be 
better  to  continue  the  march. 

They  had  delayed  so  many  days  on  the  road,  that  the  stock  of 
flour  intended  for  the  whole  journey  would  have  failed,  had  they 
not  spared  their  supply,  and  fed  upon  potatoes  whenever  they 
halted  near  cultivated  ground. 

On  one  occasion,  a  number  of  their  men  had  as  usual  gone  off 
to  forage,  and  were  employed  in  digging  sweet -potatoes,  when 
they  were  suddenly  attacked  by  the  natives  concealed  in  the  high 
grass,  and  eleven  men  were  speared — five  of  my  troops  and  six 
of  the  irregulars.  Fortunately  some  of  these  men  had  fired  their 
muskets  before  they  died,  and  the  reports  alarmed  the  remainder 
of  the  party,  who  were  in  a  small  village.  There  was  not  a  na- 
tive to  be  seen,  but  the  drums  and  horns  were  sounding;  and  as 
the  Victoria  Nile  was  close  at  hand,  they  considered  it  would  be 
advisable  to  cross  the  river  before  the  natives  should  attack  them 
in  force. 

It  was  necessary  to  release  Suleiman,  who  was  secured  in  a 
sheba.  This  man  had  been  committed  to  the  charge  of  Moham- 
med. Before  Mohammed  cut  the  rawhide  strap  which  secured 
the  forked  pole,  he  made  Suleiman  swear  by  the  prophet  not  to 
escape,  but  that  he  would  deliver  himself  up  to  Major  Abdullah 
at  Fatiko. 

The  party,  now  reduced  to  twenty-five  men,  immediately  start- 
ed. Upon  arrival  at  the  banks  of  the  river,  they  happened  to 
come  suddenly  upon  a  native,  whom  they  seized. 

They  soon  observed  a  canoe  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  in 
which  were  two  men.  They  now  made  an  arrangement  for  the 
capture  of  the  canoe,  which  was  to  them  a  case  of  life  or  death. 

The  prisoner  was  dressed  in  the  usual  flowing  robe  of  bark- 
cloth.  His  hands  were  tied  behind  him,  and  one  of  the  party 
who  could  speak  the  language  now  concealed  himself  behind  the 
bark-cloth  robe,  and  holding  the  native  tightly  by  the  arms,  he 
threatened  him  with  instant  death  unless  he  called  the  two  na- 
tives in  the  canoe. 

At  first  he  hesitated,  but  fearing  the  knife  at  his  back,  the 
point  of  which  just  pricked  him  to  let  him  know  that  it  was 
ready,  he  shouted  to  the  men  in  the  boat. 

"  Say  you  have  a  number  of  plantains,  and  you  want  to  take 
them  across  the  river,"  whispered  his  invisible  prompter  from  be- 
hind. 


SULEIMAN'S  HONORABLE  CONDUCT. 


445 


The  natives  in  the  canoe  hesitated.  "  Say  you  will  give  them 
each  a  bunch  of  plantains  if  they  will  ferry  you  over,"  again 
whispered  the  cunning  Arab. 

The  canoe  now  pushed  off  from  the  bank,  and  paddled  toward 
the  apparently  solitary  native. 

The  irregulars  were  concealed  in  the  high  grass  close  to  the 
bank,  and  as  the  canoe  touched  the  shore  they  shot  the  two  na- 
tives dead,  and  immediately  secured  it. 

They  now  unlashed  the  arms  of  the  prisoner,  and  insisted  upon 
his  paddling  the  canoe  across  the  river.  Two  journeys  were  nec- 
essary. The  first  was  successful,  and  the  regular  troops,  togeth- 
er with  the  post  and  Suleiman  and  others,  were  safely  landed. 
During  the  second  journey,  as  the  canoe  was  passing  a  rock  above 
some  dangerous  rapids,  the  native  suddenly  upset  the  boat  by 
throwing  his  weight  quickly  to  one  side,  and  plunged  the  whole 
party  in  the  river.  Some  of  them  were  carried  over  the  cataracts 
and  drowned.  The  others,  including  Ali  Genninar,  were  good 
swimmers,  and  they  reached  the  shore. 

Although  the  irregulars  thoroughly  knew  the  country,  they 
now  found  themselves  in  the  immense  wilderness  that  separates 
Unyoro  from  the  Shooli  and  Madi  tribes. 

In  this  sea  of  high  grass  they  wandered  for  some  days,  lost,  un- 
til they  at  length  discovered  the  regular  path,  and,  after  great  suf- 
fering, reached  Fatiko. 

Eddrees,  who  had  been  appointed  vakeel,  became  a  traitor,  and 
upon  meeting  Abou  Saood  and  his  people,  who  had  come  out  to 
receive  the  party  upon  their  arrival,  he  hallooed  out,  "  Look  sharp 
for  your  neck,  Abou  Saood ;  the  Pasha  has  sent  an  order  to  arrest 
you !" 

A  short  time  after  this  Eddrees  died  oTdysentery.  Suleiman 
behaved  in  an  honorable  manner.  Instead  of  going  into  Abou 
Saood's  camp,  he  immediately  presented  himself  before  Major 
Abdullah,  and  confessed  his  sins,  acknowledging  that  he  had 
been  justly  punished.  He  surrendered  himself  into  the  hands 
of  the  commandant,  according  to  the  oath  he  had  taken  on  the 
road. 

Although  Major  Abdullah  had  now  received  the  post,  together 
with  my  orders,  he  thought  it  advisable,  considering  the  danger 
of  a  collision  with  Abou  Saood's  people,  to  allow  Suleiman  his 
liberty  on  parole,  and  he  had  returned  to  his  position  of  vakeel 
at  Fabbo.  Ali  Genninar  had  at  once  offered  to  continue  his  duties 
as  a  government  soldier. 

A  few  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  post,  the  news  was  brought 


446 


ISMAILlA. 


of  the  battle  of  Masindi,  and  that  our  escape  from  Unyoro  was 
impossible. 

The  almost  open  hostility  of  Abou  Saood  and  his  numerous 
forces  had  paralyzed  Major  Abdullah,  who,  fearing  the  responsi- 
bility of  an  outbreak,  kept  quiet,  and  trusted  in  Providence,  until 
I  had  fortunately  appeared. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  plan  laid  by  Kabba  Kega  for 
securing  the  arms  and  effects  of  Major  Abdullah  and  his  detach- 
ment broke  down  through  a  premature  attack  on  the  part  of  the 
natives,  who  had  neither  the  courage  nor  the  patience  to  go  to 
Fatiko  on  the  chance  of  success  in  such  a  distant  enterprise. 

Suleiman  had  written  me  a  letter  imploring  forgiveness.  Wat- 
el-Mek  arrived  at  Fatiko  after  the  seizure  of  the  ammunition  by 
Salim-Wat-Howah,  and  he  begged  pardon  for  Suleiman,  assuring 
me  that  he  was  truly  penitent;  that  the  devil  had  misled  him,  and 
Abou  Saood  was  that  devil.  If  I  would  only  grant  him  a  free 
pardon,  no  man  would  be  more  faithful ;  and  the  irregular  force 
now  established  would  be  delighted  at  such  an  act  of  clemency. 

Although  Suleiman  was  a  great  ruffian,  he  was  like  every  body 
else  in  that  respect.  If  I  had  refused  the  enlistment  of  all  immor- 
al characters  in  the  middle  of  Africa,  I  should  have  had  what  is 
now  known  in  England  as  a  "skeleton  regiment."  I  had  already 
punished  him  severely.  In  every  case  of  defiance  of  the  govern- 
ment, the  people  had  now  seen  that  so  small  an  organized  force 
as  two  hundred  regulars  among  innumerable  enemies,  and  with- 
out any  communication  with  head-quarters,  had  been  able  to  beat 
down  and  crush  every  enemy,  whether  native  or  rebel.  In  times 
of  real  weakness,  it  is  frequently  necessary  to  be  severe,  that  a 
grave  example  may  establish  authority ;  but  after  victory  and 
success,  I  felt  that  an  act  of  clemency  might,  even  among  half- 
savages,  be  more  binding  than  iron  fetters. 

I  therefore  told  Wat-el-Mek  that  I  could  not  give  any  promise 
until  Suleiman  should  present  himself  before  me  at  Fatiko.  It 
was  his  duty  to  deliver  himself  up  as  a  prisoner  upon  parole. 

On  October  3d  Wat-el-Mek  arrived  at  Fatiko,  accompanied  by 
Suleiman,  who  came  to  surrender. 

The  prisoner  was  dressed  in  a  filthy  brown  woolen  cloak,  and 
his  head  was  covered  with  a  greasy  and  almost  black  tarboosh ; 
he  had  the  appearance  of  having  slept  on  a  dust-heap.  This  beg- 
garly outside  was  a  token  of  repentance  and  humiliation. 

Suleiman  was  brought  before  me,  and  he  immediately  rushed 
forward  and  knelt  to  kiss  my  feet,  exhibiting  at  the  same  time 


SULEIMAN  PARDONED. 


447 


considerable  emotion ;  which  surprised  me,  as  he  was  notorious 
as  a  stern,  hard-hearted  Kurd. 

I  said  a  few  words  to  him,  explaining  that  he  must  not  think 
me  impenetrable  if  I  doubted  his  sincerity,  as  I  had  been  already 
deceived,  after  having  shown  him  much  kindness;  at  the  same 
time,  I  did  not  wish  to  exert  severity,  if  I  could  win  him  to  obe- 
dience by  good  advice.*  I  offered  him  a  free  pardon  if  he  would 
swear  upon  the  Koran  fidelity  to  the  Khedive.  Should  he  de- 
ceive me,  and  become  a  rebel  after  this,  he  knew  the  conse- 
quences. 

Suleiman  now  declared,  and  swore  upon  the  Koran,  that  he  had 
acted  only  upon  orders  he  had  received  from  Abou  Saood.  It 
was  he  who,  in  spite  of  my  written  command  that  the  sheik  Wer- 
della  should  be  spared,  had  ordered  two  of  his  slaves  to  take  him 
from  the  Fabbo  zareeba,  and  to  cut  his  throat. 

Both  Wat-el-Mek  and  Suleiman,  as  late  vakeels  of  Abou 
Saood,  swore  to  their  written  evidence,  to  which  they  attached 
their  seals  in  the  presence  of  witnesses,  that  Abou  Saood  had 
given  orders  to  his  vakeels  to  harry  the  country  and  to  capture 
slaves  and  cattle ;  that  none  of  the  people  employed  by  him  re- 
ceived wages  in  money,  but  that  they  were  invariably  paid  in 
slaves,  valued  at  a  certain  sum. 

All  the  opposition  that  I  had  met  with  had  been  caused  by 
Abou  Saood. 

Suleiman,  having  received  a  written  pardon,  made  his  salaam 
and  retired.  An  hour  later  he  was  washed  beautifully  clean, 
and  was  gorgeously  dressed  in  a  Turkish  costume  of  light-blue 
woolen  cloth,  trimmed  with  gold  and  black  braid,  with  a  new 
tarboosh,  a  handsome  silk  shawl  in  thick  folds  around  his  waist, 
and  his  sabre  dangling  by  his  side.  This  sudden  metamorphosis 
from  dirt  and  ashes  to  dazzling  attire  was  symbolical  of  disgrace 
and  humiliation,  succeeded  by  pardon  and  restoration  to  office. 

Suleiman  was  to  continue  as  vakeel  of  the  Fabbo  station,  un- 
der the  command  of  Wat-el-Mek.  In  the  magazines  of  Fabbo 
were  thirty -two  hundred  elephants'  tusks.  These,  I  had  no 
doubt,  would  be  confiscated  by  the  Khedive. 

A  short  time  before  the  arrival  of  Suleiman,  an  extraordinary 
incident  had  occurred  at  the  Fatiko  camp. 

One  morning,  when  the  bugles  blew  the  usual  call,  it  was  dis- 


*  Suleiman  always  remained  faithful  from  that  moment,  and  became  a  dependable 
officer. 


448 


ISMAILlA. 


covered  that  the  prisoner  Lazim  had  escaped,  although  he  had 
been  secured  in  irons. 

Fortunately,  it  had  rained  slightly  during  the  night;  thus  it 
would  not  be  difficult  to  track  his  footsteps.  I  immediately  sent 
for  Shooli  and  Gimoro,  whose  village  was  only  seven  hundred 
yards  distant,  to  whom  I  promised  a  reward  of  a  cow  should 
they  succeed  in  capturing  the  escaped  felon.  They  quickly  got 
upon  the  track  of  the  fugitive,  and  followed  like  blood-hounds. 

I  have  already  described  this  fellow  Lazim  as  having  been  one 
of  the  ringleaders  in  the  rebellion  of  the  slave-hunters;  and  he 
was  almost  as  notorious  a  character  as  Ali  Hussein.  He  was 
originally  himself  a  slave,  and  had  escaped  from  his  master  at 
Khartoum  many  years  ago,  after  which  he  became  one  of  the 
most  determined  slave-hunters. 

I  felt  sure  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  him  to  have 
escaped  without  the  connivance  of  the  sentry.  I  therefore  or- 
dered all  the  soldiers  that  had  formed  the  various  night-guards 
over  the  prisoner  to  be  brought  before  me.  As  they  stood  in 
line,  I  simply  told  them  that  "  the  prisoner  had  escaped,  and  that 
one  of  the  men  now  present  was  guilty  of  aiding  and  abetting. 
I  could  discover  the  rascal  who  had  thus  disgraced  himself  as  a 
soldier  by  simply  looking  at  his  face." 

Having  carefully  examined  the  countenance  of  each  man,  I 
felt  confident  that  I  had  fixed  upon  the  guilty  person,  as  one  in- 
dividual quailed  beneath  my  eye,  and  at  length  looked  down 
upon  the  ground.  This  happened  to  be  one  of  the  worst  charac- 
ters in  the  force.    I  therefore  at  once  ordered  him  to  be  flogged. 

During  the  infliction  of  punishment,  this  fellow  not  only  con- 
fessed that  he  had  assisted  in  the  escape  of  Lazim,  but  he  made 
a  clean  breast  of  several  other  delinquencies.  He  was  accord- 
ingly put  in  irons,  and  condemned  to  break  stones  for  the  new 
roads. 

In  the  evening  Shooli  returned,  but  without  the  prisoner.  Be- 
fore he  gave  his  report,  he  begged  me  "  not  to  be  angry."  He 
then  described  that  he  had  tracked  Lazim's  footsteps  for  a  long 
way  along  the  Fabbo  road,  until  he  had  at  length  met  several  na- 
tives, who  were  coming  toward  him.  These  men  declared  that 
they  had  met  Lazim,  who  had  managed  to  get  rid  of  his  irons ; 
but  as  he  was  unarmed,  they  knew  that  he  must  have  run  away. 
They  accordingly  asked  him  for  his  pass  from  me,  as  it  was  well 
known  that  I  never  allowed  a  man  to  go  alone  without  a  written 
order. 

Lazim  of  course  was  unable  to  produce  a  paper.    The  natives, 


LAZIM  KILLED. 


440 


therefore,  insisted  upon  his  returning  with  them  to  Fatiko,  and 
upon  his  remonstrating  they  seized  him.  A  struggle  ensued,  and 
they  at  length  knocked  him  upon  the  head  with  an  iron  mace 
and  killed  him.  Thus  ended  one  of  the  greatest  scoundrels,  and 
the  government  was  relieved  by  his  escape  from  custody,  which 
had  so  quickly  terminated  his  career. 


450 


ISMAlLlA. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

i"  SEND  TO  GONDOKORO  FOR  RE-ENFORCEMENTS. 

On  November  25th,  1872, 1  started  Wat-el-Mek  to  Gondokoro 
with  a  force  of  irregulars,  in  addition  to  a  captain  and  twenty 
regular  troops  in  charge  of  the  post.  His  party  consisted  of  one 
hundred  men. 

The  fleet  from  Gondokoro  had  left  on  November  3d,  1871; 
thus  it  was  natural  to  suppose  that  re-enforcements  had  arrived 
from  Khartoum,  according  to  my  written  instructions  on  that 
date.  I  now  wrote  to  Raouf  Bey  at  head-quarters,  to  send  up  two 
hundred  men  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Tayib 
Agha,  of  the  Soudani  regiment.  I  also  wrote  for  a  supply  of 
cattle,  as  my  stock  had  dwindled  to  a  small  herd  of  milch-cows, 
and  the  people  at  Fabbo  had  no  meat  except  the  flesh  of  any 
game  that  might  be  killed. 

A  short  time  after  the  departure  of  Wat-el-Mek  and  his  party 
for  Gondokoro,  Suleiman,  the  vakeel,  arrived  from  Fabbo  with 
the  intelligence  that  a  large  body  of  Abou  Saood's  slave-hunters, 
including  three  thousand  Makkarika  cannibals,  had  arrived  on 
the  Nile  from  the  far  west,  with  the  intention  of  taking  the  ivory 
from  Fabbo ! 

It  appeared  that  Abou  Saood  had  gone  from  Gondokoro  to  his 
station  at  the  Bahr  ;  from  thence  he  had  sent  a  party  with  a 
letter  to  Atroosh,  the  vakeel  of  the  Makkarika  station,  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant,  with  orders  that  he  should  send 
a  powerful  force,  with  sufficient  carriers,  to  take  the  ivory  by 
violence  from  Fabbo. 

Abou  Saood  had  not  expected  that  the  people  whom  he  had 
left  at  that  station  would  have  enlisted  under  the  government 
standard.  Thus  he  imagined  they  would  at  once  fraternize  with 
the  invading  force. 

The  natives  of  the  country  were  thoroughly  alarmed,  as  the 
cannibals  were  eating  the  children  of  the  Koshi  country  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Nile,  in  about  3°  latitude ;  and  should  they 
cross  the  river,  the  Madis  and  Shoolis  expected  the  same  fate. 

I  ordered  Suleiman  (who  had  received  a  letter  from  Atroosh) 
to  take  a  letter  from  me  to  Ali  Emmeen,  the  vakeel  of  the  in- 


MAKEARIKA  CANNIBALS. 


451 


vading  force,  instructing  him  to  present  himself  before  me  at 
Fatiko  instantly  with  an  escort  of  his  own  people,  limited  to 
twenty-five  men.  At  the  same  time  I  gave  instructions  to  the 
natives  upon  no  account  to  furnish  boats  for  a  larger  party. 

After  some  days'  absence  Suleiman  returned,  but  without  Ali 
Emmeen,  who  was  afraid  to  appear.  This  vakeel  had  received 
my  verbal  assurance  from  Suleiman  that,  should  any  persons 
attempt  the  passage  of  the  river  without  my  permission,  they 
would  be  instantly  shot ;  at  the  same  time,  if  he  wished  to  con- 
vey the  ivory  to  Gondokoro  by  the  usual  route,  he  could  do  so 
with  an  escort  of  regulars. 

This  was  an  awkward  position  for  Ali  Emmeen,  who  had  ex- 
pected to  find  allies  at  Fabbo,  but  who  now  found  a  faithful 
corps  of  irregulars,  with  Suleiman  at  their  head,  acting  under 
my  orders. 

He  accordingly  took  one  hundred  men,  and  returned  about 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  to  the  camp  of  Atroosh  for  fresh 
instructions.  The  three  thousand  Makkarika  cannibals  were  left 
with  the  remainder  of  his  company  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Nile 
to  feed  upon  the  natives  of  Koshi  until  his  return. 

Every  day  people  arrived  at  Fatiko  with  horrible  reports  of 
the  cannibals,  who  were  devouring  the  children  in  the  Koshi  dis- 
trict. Spies  went  across  the  river  and  brought  me  every  intelli- 
gence. It  appeared  that  the  three  thousand  Makkarikas  had  been 
engaged  by  Ali  Emmeen  under  the  pretense  that  they  were  "to 
go  to  Fatiko  and  fight  a  chief  called  'the  Pasha,'  who  had  enor- 
mous flocks  and  herds,  together  with  thousands  of  beautiful 
women  and  other  alluring  spoil;"  but  they  had  not  heard  that 
they  were  to  carry  three  thousand  elephants'  tusks  to  the  station 
of  Atroosh. 

My  spies  now  told  them  the  truth.  "  Fight  the  Pasha  I"  they 
exclaimed;  "do  you  not  know  who  he  is?  and  that  he  could 
kill  you  all  like  fowls,  as  he  did  the  people  of  Ali  Hussein  ?  He 
has  no  cows  for  you  to  carry  off,  but  he  has  guns  that  are  magic, 
and  which  load  from  behind  instead  of  at  the  muzzle!" 

This  was  a  terrible  disappointment  to  the  deluded  Makkari- 
kas, which  at  once  spread  dissension  among  them,  wrhen  they 
found  that  they  had  been  cajoled  in  order  to  transport  the  heavy 
loads  of  ivory. 

A  providential  visitation  suddenly  fell  upon  them.  The  small- 
pox broke  out,  and  killed  upward  of  eight  hundred  blood-thirsty 
cannibals  who  had  been  devouring  the  country. 

The  Nile  was  reported  to  be  about  six  miles  in  width  opposite 

3± 


459 


ISMAILlA. 


their  station,  in  about  3°  latitude,  which  is  only  a  few  miles  from 
the  Albert  N'yanza.  This  visitation  of  small-pox  created  a  panic 
which  entirely  broke  up  and  dispersed  the  invading  force,  and 
defeated  their  plans. 

We  were  now  in  frequent  communication  with  Rionga,  who 
was  always  represented  in  my  Fatiko  camp  by  the  presence  of 
one  of  his  sheiks  and  several  men. 

Ali  Genninar  had  made  a  combined  attack  upon  Kabba  Rega, 
together  with  Rionga  and  the  Langgo  tribe,  and  had  utterly  de- 
feated him.  His  people  were  now  deserting  him  in  great  num- 
bers, and  were  flocking  to  the  winning  side.  Kabba  Rega  had 
taken  to  flight,  and  was  supposed  to  be  hiding  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Chibero,  on  the  borders  of  the  Albert  N'yanza. 

M'tese,  the  king  of  Uganda,  had  invaded  Unyoro  from  the 
south,  and  having  heard  of  Kabba  Rega's  treachery  toward  my- 
self, he  had  sent  an  army  of  six  thousand  men  under  his  general, 
Congow,  to  be  placed  at  my  disposal. 

This  friendship  was  the  result  of  my  diplomacy  in  having  sent 
him  valuable  presents  from  Masindi,  together  with  a  letter  warn- 
ing him  against  Kabba  Rega,  who  wished  to  prevent  the  goods 
of  the  north  from  reaching  Uganda,  in  order  that  he  might  mo- 
nopolize the  trade  in  Unyoro. 

The  subsequent  conduct  of  Kabba  Rega  had  proved  this  accu- 
sation, and  M'tese  had  heard  with  rage  and  dismay  that  I  had 
been  forced  to  burn  all  the  numerous  goods,  which  otherwise 
would  have  passed  to  him  in  Uganda. 

On  December  25th  the  fort  of  Fatiko  was  completed.  This 
was  commenced  on  August  28th ;  thus  my  men  had  been  four 
months  engaged  in  the  work,  owing  to  the  extreme  hardness  of 
the  subsoil,  which  was  a  compact  gravel  resembling  concrete. 

The  three  faces  of  the  fort  measured  four  hundred  and  fifty-five 
yards  of  fosse  and  earthen  rampart.  The  fosse  was  eight  feet  wide, 
eight  feet  deep,  and  the  face  of  the  rampart  was  protected  by  che- 
vaux-de-frise  of  sharpened  stakes.  The  west  base  of  the  fort  was 
the  rock  citadel,  which  commanded  the  surrounding  country. 
Upon  this  solid  foundation  I  had  built  an  excellent  powder-mag- 
azine and  store,  of  solid  masonry.  This  fire-proof  building  was 
roofed  with  a  thick  cement  of  clay  from  the  white-ant  hills,  that 
had  been  tempered  for  some  weeks  and  mixed  with  chopped 
straw. 

All  my  work  was  completed,  and  I  could  do  nothing  until  the 
re-enforcements  should  arrive  from  Gondokoro.  The  natives  paid 
their  trifling  corn-tax  with  great  good  humor,  and  they  generally 


FORT  FATIKO — GROUND  PLAN. 


COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  HUNTING  SEASON. 


45:5 


arrived  in  crowds  of  several  hundreds,  singing  and  dancing,  with 
large  baskets  of  tullaboon  upon  their  heads,  with  which  they  fill- 
ed our  rows  of  granaries. 

The  grass  was  now  fit  to  burn,  and  the  hunting  season  had 
fairly  commenced.  All  the  natives  devoted  themselves  to  this 
important  pursuit.  The  chase  supplies  the  great  tribe  of  Shooli 
with  clothing.  Although  the  women  are  perfectly  naked,  every 
man  wears  the  skin  of  an  antelope  slung  across  his  shoulders,  so 
arranged  as  to  be  tolerably  decent.  The  number  of  animals  that 
are  annually  destroyed  may  be  imagined  from  the  amount  of  the 
skin-clad  population. 

Although  the  wilderness  between  Unyoro  and  Fatiko  is  unin- 
habited, in  like  manner  with  extensive  tracts  between  Fabbo  and 
Fatiko,  every  portion  of  that  apparently  abandoned  country  is 
nominally  possessed  by  individual  proprietors,  who  claim  a  right 
of  game  by  inheritance. 

This  strictly  conservative  principle  has  existed  from  time  im- 
memorial, and  may  perhaps  suggest  to  those  ultra-radicals  who 
would  introduce  communistic  principles  into  England,  that  the 
supposed  original  equality  of  human  beings  is  a  false  datum  for 
their  problem.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  equality  among  human 
beings  in  their  primitive  state,  any  more  than  there  is  equality 
among  the  waves  of  the  sea,  although  they  may  start  from  the 
same  level  of  the  calm. 

In  a  state  of  savagedom,  the  same  rules  of  superiority  which 
advance  certain  individuals  above  the  general  level  in  civilized 
societies  will  be  found  to  exert  a  natural  influence.  Those  who 
become  eminent  will  be  acknowledged  by  their  inferiors.  The 
man  who  is  clever  and  wise  in  council  will  be  listened  to;  the 
warrior  who  leads  with  courage  and  judgment  will  be  followed 
in  the  battle  ;  the  hunter  who  excels  in  tracking  up  the  game  will 
be  sent  to  the  front  when  the  party  are  on  the  blood-track.  In 
this  way  superiority  will  be  generally  admitted.  Superiority  of 
intellect  will  naturally  tend  to  material  advancement.  The  man 
of  sense  will  gather  more  than  the  fool.  That  which  he  gathers 
becomes  property,  which  must  be  acknowledged  by  society  as  an 
individual  right  that  must  be  protected  by  laws. 

In  tribes  where  government  is  weak,  there  is  a  difficulty  in  en- 
forcing laws,  as  the  penalty  exacted  may  be  resisted ;  but  even 
amidst  those  wild  tribes  there  is  a  force  that  exerts  a  certain  mor- 
al influence  among  the  savage  as  among  the  civilized :  that  force 
is  public  opinion. 

Thus,  a  breach  of  the  game-laws  would  be  regarded  by  the 


4,")4 


ISMAILlA. 


public  as  a  disgrace  to  the  guilty  individual,  precisely  as  an  act 
of  poaching  would  damage  the  character  of  a  civilized  person. 

The  rights  of  game  are  among  the  first  rudiments  of  property. 
Man  in  a  primitive  state  is  a  hunter,  depending  for  his  clothing 
upon  the  skins  of  wild  animals,  and  upon  their  flesh  for  his  sub- 
sistence ;  therefore  the  beast  that  he  kills  upon  the  desert  must 
be  his  property ;  and  in  a  public  hunt,  should  he  be  the  first  to 
wound  a  wild  animal,  he  will  have  gained  an  increased  interest 
or  share  in  the  flesh  by  having  reduced  the  chance  of  its  escape. 
Thus  public  opinion,  which  we  must  regard  as  the  foundation  of 
equity,  rewards  him  with  a  distinct  and  special  right,  which  be- 
comes laiu. 

It  is  impossible  to  trace  the  origin  of  game-laws  in  Central  Af- 
rica, but  it  is  nevertheless  interesting  to  find  that  such  rights 
are  generally  acknowledged,  and  that  large  tracts  of  uninhabited 
country  are  possessed  by  individuals  which  are  simply  manorial. 
These  rights  are  inherited,  descending  from  father  to  the  eldest 
son. 

When  the  grass  is  sufficiently  dry  to  burn,  the  whole  thoughts 
of  the  community  are  centred  upon  sport;  but  should  a  person 
set  fire  to  the  grass  belonging  to  another  proprietor,  he  would  be 
at  once  condemned  by  public  opinion,  and  he  would  (if  such  es- 
tablishments existed)  be  certainly  expelled  from  his  club. 

There  was  no  more  work  undone  in  my  charming  Fatiko  sta- 
tion. The  roads  from  the  three  gates  were  so  far  completed  as  to 
form  respectable  approaches.  The  gardens  had  produced  abun- 
dantly, and  the  troops  were  all  in  excellent  health  and  good  dis- 
cipline. On  Mondays  and  Fridays  they  were  exercised  at  light- 
infantry  drill  for  several  hours.  Every  man  had  his  post,  which 
he  occupied  like  lightning  when  the  bugle  suddenly  sounded 
the  alarm.  The  "Forty  Thieves"  held  the  rock  citadel,  as  they 
could  fire  over  the  heads  of  those  in  the  camp  without  fear  of  ac- 
cident. The  night  alarm  sounded  unexpectedly,  and  as  I  went 
the  rounds  every  man  was  at  his  quarters  without  a  whisper. 
The  cleanliness  and  general  order  of  the  camp  were  perfect, 

I  now  associated  with  the  natives  as  a  hunter.  It  was  in  this 
capacity  that  I  had  first  won  their  hearts  many  years  ago.  We 
were  so  short  of  meat  that  I  began  to  feel  the  necessity  that  first 
turned  the  hand  of  savage  man  against  the  beasts  of  the  forest. 

The  chase  throughout  the  Shooli  country  was  carried  on  as  a 
profession,  and  was  conducted  by  general  rules  under  an  admira- 
ble organization. 

The  favorite  method  of  hunting  was  by  means  of  nets.  Ev- 


GENERAL  HUNTING  ARRANGEMENTS. 


455 


ery  man  in  the  country  was  provided  with  a  net  of  strong  cord. 
This  was  twelve  yards  long,  and  about  eleven  feet  deep,  if  stretch- 
ed to  its  maximum.  The  meshes  were  about  six  inches  square. 
There  was  no  promiscuous  net-hunting,  but  the  chief  of  the  dis- 
trict organized  the  chase  in  the  following  manner: 

The  big  nogara  was  sounded,  and  the  news  rapidly  spread  that 
an  assembly  was  desired  at  the  village  of  their  head  man.  At 
Fatiko  the  chief  was  Wat-el- Ajoos  Omare.  A  few  hours  after 
the  drum  had  summoned  the  head  men,  natives  might  be  seen 
approaching  from  all  sides  to  the  appointed  spot  at  which  the 
council  was  to  be  held. 

After  much  talking,  it  was  at  length  decided  that  the  hunt 
should  take  place  upon  the  manors  of  certain  individuals  whose 
property  was  contiguous.  The  day  of  the  hunt  was  arranged, 
and  the  head  men  of  the  villages  retired  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements. 

Should  a  chief  be  hospitably  disposed,  he  would  frequently 
give  a  grand  entertainment  prior  to  the  hunt.  On  such  occasions 
upward  of  a  thousand  natives  would  arrive  from  different  vil- 
lages, in  their  full-dress  costume,  consisting  of  plumes  of  ostrich 
feathers,  leopard-skin  mantles,  and  their  faces  painted  a  frightful 
color  with  fresh  cow-dung.  On  these  occasions  a  large  quantity 
of  merissa  was  consumed,  and  one  or  two  oxen  were  slaughtered, 
according  to  the  wealth  of  the  person  who  gave  the  festivity. 

The  sorcerer  was  an  important  personage  at  such  entertainments, 
as  it  was  necessary  to  assure  good  luck  by  a  variety  of  magic  cer- 
emonies, that  would  not  only  protect  the  hunters  from  accidents, 
but  would  also  bring  the  wild  animals  direct  into  their  nets. 

At  length*  the  day  of  the  hunt  had  arrived,  when  several  thou- 
sand people  would  collect  at  a  certain  rendezvous,  about  nine 
miles  distant  from  Fatiko,  on  the  Fabbo  road,  which  is  the  best 
neighborhood  for  game. 

At  a  little  before  5  A.M.  I  started  on  my  solitary  but  powerful 
horse,  "  Jamoos,"  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker  and  Colonel 
Abd-el-Kader,  with  a  few  soldiers  of  "The  Forty."  Gimoro  and 
Shooli,  who  were  renowned  hunters,  were  always  with  me  when 
shooting.  These  excellent  men  had  an  extraordinary  affection 
for  each  other,  and  they  were  well  known  as  inseparables — the 
one  was  rarely  seen  without  the  other. 

Descending  the  rocky  terrace  from  the  station  at  Fatiko,  we 
were  at  once  in  the  lovely,  park-like  glades,  diversified  by  bold 
granite  rocks,  among  which  were  scattered  the  graceful  drooping 
acacias  in  clumps  of  dense  foliage. 


456 


ISMAILlA. 


Crossing  the  clear,  rippling  stream,  we  clambered  np  the  steep 
bank  on  the  opposite  side,  and,  after  a  ride  of  about  a  mile  and 
a  half,  we  gained  the  water-shed,  and  commenced  a  gradual  de- 
scent toward  the  west. 

We  were  now  joined  by  numerous  people,  both  men,  women, 
and  children,  all  of  whom  were  bent  upon  the  hunt. 

The  men  carried  their  nets  and  spears ;  the  boys  were  also 
armed  with  lighter  weapons,  and  the  very  little  fellows  carried 
tiny  lances,  all  of  which  had  been  carefully  sharpened  for  the 
expected  game. 

The  women  were  in  great  numbers,  and  upon  that  day  the  vil- 
lages were  quite  deserted.  Babies  accompanied  their  mothers, 
strapped  upon  their  backs  with  leathern  bands,  and  protected 
from  the  weather  by  the  usual  tortoise-like  coverings  of  gourd- 
shells.  Thus  it  may  be  imagined  that  the  Shooli  tribe  were  born 
hunters,  as  they  had  accompanied  the  public  hunts  from  their 
earliest  infancy. 

My  two  boys,  Saat  and  Bellaal,  carried  spare  guns.  These 
fine  strong  lads  always  attended  me,  and  they  had  become  use- 
ful gun-bearers.  They  were  both  plucky  fellows.  Little  Amarn 
had  been  suffering  for  more  than  twelve  months  from  an  ulcer- 
ated leg ;  therefore  he  was  spared  from  unnecessary  fatigue,  and 
was  the  pet  boy  at  home. 

As  we  proceeded,  the  number  of  natives  increased,  but  there 
was  no  noise  or  loud  talking.  Every  one  appeared  thoroughly 
to  understand  his  duties. 

Having  crossed  the  beautiful  Un-y-Ame  river,  we  entered  the 
game  country.  Extensive  prairies,  devoid  of  forest,  now  stretch- 
ed before  us  in  graceful  undulations  to  the  base  of  distant  mount- 
ains. The  country  was  watered  by  numerous  clear  streams,  all 
of  which  drained  into  the  main  channel  of  the  Un-y-Ame  river, 
that  became  a  roaring  torrent  dnrinsf  the  wet  season. 

We  now  left  the  Fabbo  path,  and  struck  off  to  our  left  for 
several  miles,  over  ground  that  had  been  cleared  by  burning, 
which  showed  in  many  directions  the  crimson  fruit  of  the  wild 
ginger,  growing  half  exposed  from  the  earth.  This  is  a  leathery, 
hard  pod,  about  the  size  of  a  goose-egg,  filled  with  a  semi-trans- 
parent pulp  of  a  subacid  flavor,  with  a  delicious  perfume  be- 
tween pine-apple  and  lemon-peel.  It  is  very  juicy  and  refresh- 
ing, and  is  decidedly  the  best  wild  fruit  of  Central  Africa. 

The  natives  immediately  collected  a  quantity,  and  we  quickly 
pushed  forward  to  the  rendezvous,  where,  upon  arrival,  we  found 
a  great  number  of  people  were  collected. 


THE  NETS  ARE  FIXED. 


457 


A  line  of  about  a  mile  and  a  half  was  quickly  protected  by 
netting,  and  the  natives  were  already  in  position. 

Each  man  had  lashed  his  net  to  that  of  his  neighbor  and  sup- 
ported it  with  bamboos,  which  were  secured  with  ropes  fastened 
to  twisted  grass.  Thus  the  entire  net  resembled  a  fence  that 
would  be  invisible  to  the  game  in  the  high  grass,  until,  when 
driven,  they  should  burst  suddenly  upon  it. 

The  grass  was  as  dry  as  straw,  and  several  thousand  acres 
would  be  fired  up  to  windward,  which  would  compel  the  animals 
to  run  before  the  flames,  until  they  reached  the  netting  placed 
a  few  paces  in  front,  where  the  high  grass  had  been  purposely 
cleared  to  resist  the  advance  of  the  fire. 

Before  each  section  of  net  a  man  was  concealed,  both  within 
and  without,  behind  a  screen,  simply  formed  of  the  long  grass 
bound  together  at  the  top. 

The.  rule  of  sport  decided  that  the  proprietor  of  each  section 
of  netting  of  twelve  yards'  length  would  be  entitled  to  all  game 
that  should  be  killed  within  these  limits;  but  that  the  owners  of 
the  manors  which  formed  the  hunt  upon  that  day  should  receive 
a  hind  leg  from  every  animal  captured. 

This  was  fair  play;  but  in  such  hunts  a  breach  of  the  peace 
was  of  common  occurrence,  as  a  large  animal  might  charge  the 
net  and  receive  a  spear  from  the  owner  of  the  section,  after  which 
he  might  break  back,  and  eventually  be  killed  in  the  net  of  an- 
other hunter,  which  would  cause  a  hot  dispute. 

The  nets  had  been  arranged  with  perfect  stillness,  and  the  men 
having  concealed  themselves,  we  were  placed  in  positions  on  the 
extreme  flanks  with  the  rifles. 

Eifle- shooting  was  dangerous  work,  as  the  country  was  alive 
with  people,  who  were  hidden  in  every  direction. 

I  took  my  position  behind  a  white-ant  hill  in  front  of  a  stream 
which  rippled  in  a  hollow  about  forty  yards  beneath  me. 

Molodi  had  quite  recovered  from  the  wound  he  had  received 
on  August  2d,  and  he  carried  the  basket  that  contained  our 
luncheon.  This  consisted  of  three  bottles  of  milk  and  a  few 
hard-boiled  eggs,  with  a  supply  of  salt  and  pepper. 

There  is  nothing  so  good  as  milk  for  support  during  a  long 
day's  work,  provided  it  is  used  with  water,  in  a  proportion  of 
one -third  milk.  A  bottle  of  rich  milk  will,  therefore,  produce 
three  bottles  of  wholesome  drink.  This  is  far  preferable  to  the 
use  of  spirits,  which  are  merely  a  temporary  stimulant,  and  fre- 
quently are  great  enemies  to  good  rifle-shooting. 

Molodi's  basket  was  arranged  with  a  white  napkin  over  the 


458 


ISMAILlJ. 


contents.  As  such  a  color  would  attract  attention,  I  ordered  him 
to  conceal  himself  and  his  basket  behind  a  neighboring  ant-hill. 

Mr.  Baker  was  far  away  on  my  right,  and  Abd-el-Kader  was 
upon  the  extreme  right  flank. 

Every  thing  was  ready,  and  men  had  already  been  stationed 
at  regular  intervals  about  two  miles  to  windward,  where  they 
waited  with  their  fire-sticks  ready  for  the  appointed  signal. 

A  shrill  whistle  disturbed  the  silence.  This  signal  was  re- 
peated at  intervals  to  windward. 

In  a  few  minutes  after  the  signal,  a  long  line  of  separate  thin 
pillars  of  smoke  ascended  into  the  blue  sky,  forming  a  band  ex- 
tending over  about  two  miles  of  the  horizon. 

The  thin  pillars  rapidly  thickened,  and  became  dense  volumes, 
until  at  length  they  united,  and  formed  a  long  black  cloud  of 
smoke  that  drifted  before  the  wind  over  the  bright  yellow  sur- 
face of  the  high  grass. 

The  natives  were  so  thoroughly  concealed,  that  no  one  would 
have  supposed  that  a  human  being  beside  ourselves  was  in  the 
neighborhood.  I  had  stuck  a  few  twigs  into  the  top  of  the  ant- 
hill to  hide  my  cap;  and  having  cut  out  a  step  in  the  side  for 
my  feet  at  the  required  height,  I  waited  in  patience. 

The  wind  was  brisk,  and  the  fire  traveled  at  about  four  miles 
an  hour.  We  could  soon  hear  the  distant  roar,  as  the  great  vol- 
ume of  flame  shot  high  through  the  centre  of  the  smoke. 

The  natives  had  also  lighted  the  grass  a  few  hundred  yards  in 
our  rear. 

Presently  I  saw  a  slate-colored  mass  trotting  along  the  face  of 
the  opposite  slope,  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant.  I 
quickly  made  out  a  rhinoceros,  and  I  was  in  hopes  that  he  was 
coming  toward  me.  Suddenly  he  turned  to  my  right,  and  con- 
tinued along  the  face  of  the  inclination. 

Some  of  the  beautiful  leucotis  antelope  now  appeared  and  can- 
tered toward  me,  but  halted  when  they  approached  the  stream, 
and  listened.  The  game  understood  the  hunting  as  well  as  the 
natives.  In  the  same  manner  that  the  young  children  went  out 
to  hunt  with  their  parents,  so  had  the  wild  animals  been  hunted, 
together  with  their  parents,  ever  since  their  birth. 

The  leucotis  now  charged  across  the  stream ;  at  the  same  time 
a  herd  of  hartebeest  dashed  past.  I  knocked  over  one,  and  with 
the  left-hand  barrel  I  wounded  a  leucotis.  At  this  moment  a 
lion  and  lioness,  that  had  been  disturbed  by  the  fire  in  our  rear, 
came  bounding  along  close  to  where  Molodi  had  been  concealed 
with  the  luncheon.    Away  went  Molodi  at  a  tremendous  pace: 


A  LARGE  AMOUNT  OF  GAME  KILLED. 


459 


and  he  came  rushing  past  me  as  though  the  lions  were  chasing 
him;  but  they  were  endeavoring  to  escape  themselves,  and  had 
no  idea  of  attacking. 

I  was  just  going  to  take  the  inviting  shot,  when,  as  my  finger 
was  on  the  trigger,  I  saw  the  head  of  a  native  rise  out  of  the 
grass  exactly  in  the  line  of  fire;  then  another  head  popped  up 
from  a  native  who  had  been  concealed,  and,  rather  than  risk  an 
accident,  I  allowed  the  lion  to  pass.  In  one  magnificent  bound  it 
cleared  the  stream,  and  disappeared  in  the  high  grass. 

The  fire  was  advancing  rapidly,  and  the  game  was  coming  up 
fast.  A  small  herd  of  leucotis  crossed  the  brook,  and  I  killed 
another,  but  the  smoke  had  become  so  thick  that  I  was  nearly 
blinded.  It  was  at  length  impossible  to  see;  the  roar  of  the  fire 
and  the  heat  were  terrific,  as  the  blast  swept  before  the  advan- 
cing flames,  and  filled  the  air  and  eyes  with  fine  black  ashes.  I 
literally  had  to  turn  and  run  hard  into  fresher  atmosphere  to  get 
a  gasp  of  cool  air,  and  to  wipe  my  streaming  eyes.  Just  as  I 
emerged  from  the  smoke,  a  leucotis  came  past,  and  received  both 
the  right  and  left  bullets  in  a  good  place  before  it  fell. 

The  fire  reached  the  stream,  and  at  once  expired.  The  wind 
swept  the  smoke  on  before,  and  left  in  view  the  velvety  black 
surface  that  had  been  completely  denuded  by  the  flames. 

The  natives  had  killed  many  antelopes,  but  the  rhinoceros  had 
gone  through  their  nets  like  a  cobweb.  Several  buffaloes  bad 
been  seen,  but  they  had  broken  out  in  a  different  direction. 
Lieutenant  Baker  had  killed  three  leucotis;  Abd-el-Kader  had 
killed  one,  and  had  hit  a  native  in  the  leg  with  a  bullet  while 
aiming  at  a  galloping  antelope.    I  had  killed  five. 

I  doctored  the  native,  and  gave  him  some  milk  to  drink,  and 
his  friends  carried  him  home.  This  was  a  very  unfortunate  ac- 
cident, and  from  that  day  the  natives  gave  Abd-el-Kader  a  wide 
berth. 

Most  of  the  women  were  heavily  laden  with  meat;  the  nets 
were  quickly  gathered  up,  and,  with  whistles  blowing  as  a  re- 
joicing, the  natives  returned  homeward. 

The  women  were  very  industrious,  and  never  went  home  emp- 
ty-handed; but  if  some  were  unfortunate  in  their  supply  of 
meat,  they  gathered  immense  bundles  of  fire-wood,  which  they 
carried  many  miles  upon  their  heads  to  their  respective  vil- 
lages  

The  time  passed  very  hnppily  at  Fatiko,  and  the  fact  of  my 
joining  with  the  natives  in  their  sports  added  to  the  confidence 
already  established. 


400 


ISMAILIA. 


I  frequently  went  into  their  villages  to  smoke  a  pipe,  and  to 
chat  with  the  people;  this  always  pleased  them,  and  the  chil- 
dren generally  crowded  round  me,  as  I  never  went  empty-hand- 
ed, but  a  few  beads  or  other  trifles  were  always  forthcoming  as 
presents. 

Gimoro  had  been  very  unfortunate  in  losing  his  children  when 
young,  and  I  understood  that  the  mortality  was  very  great  among 
all  infants  from  two  years  old  to  five. 

I  attribute  this  to  the  absurd  custom  of  public  night-nurseries. 
According  to  the  population  of  the  village,  there  are  certain 
houses  built  upon  pedestals,  or  stone  supports,  about  three  feet 
from  the  ground.  In  the  clay  wall  of  the  circular  building  is  a 
round  hole  about  a  foot  in  diameter;  this  is  the  only  aperture. 

At  sunset,  when  the  children  have  been  fed,  they  are  put  to 
bed  in  the  simplest  manner,  by  being  thrust  head -foremost 
through  the  hole  in  the  wall,  assisted,  if  refractory,  by  a  smack 
behind,  until  the  night-nursery  shall  have  received  the  limited 
number.  The  aperture  is  then  stopped  up  with  a  bundle  of  grass, 
if  the  nights  are  cool. 

The  children  lie  together  on  the  clay  floor  like  a  litter  of  young 
puppies,  and  breathe  the  foulest  air  until  morning,  at  which  time 
they  are  released  from  the  suffocating  oven,  to  be  suddenly  ex- 
posed to  the  chilly  day-break.  Their  naked  little  bodies  shiver 
round  a  fire  until  the  sun  warms  them,  but  the  seeds  of  diarrhea 
and  dysentery  have  already  been  sown. 

It  may  be  readily  imagined  that  accidents  frequently  occur  in 
the  great  hunts  already  described,  as  it  is  quite  impossible  to 
speculate  upon  the  species  of  animal  that  may  be  driven  into  the 
net.  A  fine  little  lad  of  about  eleven  years  old  was  killed  by  a 
leopard  within  a  mile  of  my  Fatiko  station.  The  grass  had  been 
fired,  and  the  animals  instinctively  knew  that  they  were  pursued. 

The  boy  went  to  drink  at  a  stream  close  to  some  high  reeds, 
when  a  leopard  pounced  upon  him  without  the  slightest  warning. 
A  native  who  was  close  to  the  spot  rushed  up  to  the  rescue,  and 
threw  his  spear  with  such  dexterity  that  he  struck  the  leopard 
through  the  neck  while  it  had  the  boy  in  its  mouth,  killing  it 
upon  the  spot.  The  boy  was  immediately  brought  to  me,  but  the 
lungs  were  lacerated,  and  he  died  during  the  night. 

On  another  occasion  five  men  were  wounded  (two  fatally)  by  a 
lioness,  which  fought  so  gallantly  that  she  at  length  escaped  from 
her  assailants  with  two  spears  in  her  body. 

I  was  not  present  on  that  occasion,  but  I  have  frequently  ad- 
mired the  pluck  of  the  Shooli  natives,  who  attack  every  animal 


PBEFA.RA TIONS  FOR  SPORT. 


401 


with  the  simple  hunting-spear,  which  of  course  necessitates  a  close 
approach. 

On  December  30th  I  went  out  with  a  few  natives  on  the  Fab- 
bo  road,  simply  to  shoot,  in  order  to  procure  meat  for  the  camp. 
We  were  about  ten  miles  from  the  station,  and  the  game  was  so 
wild  on  the  open  prairies  that  we  had  found  it  impossible  to  ap- 
proach within  shot.  We  had  seen  great  numbers  of  the  beautiful 
leucotis  antelope  (rather  larger  than  a  fine  fallow  buck),  also  hart- 
beest  {Antelope  bubalis),  all  of  which  had  quitted  the  clean  ground, 
which  had  recently  been  burned,  and  had  retired  to  the  high  grass 
upon  a  long,  sloping  undulation. 

Among  our  natives  were  two  men  who  were  the  owners  of  the 
grass ;  they  therefore  proposed  that  we  should  place  the  guns  in 
position,  while  they  should  march  up  to  windward,  and  fire  the 
grass  in  the  usual  manner. 

Lieutenant  Baker  was  placed  about  three  hundred  yards  to  my 
left,  and  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  paces 
to  my  right  As  we  faced  the  high  grass  we  had  the  ground  clear 
at  our  backs,  as  the  young  herbage  was  just  sprouting  after  the 
recent  burning. 

As  usual,  I  was  concealed  by  a  large  ant-hill,  behind  which  my 
two  boys,  Saat  and  Bellaal,  squatted  with  my  spare  guns.  About 
one  hundred  yards  before  me,  in  a  slight  hollow,  the  grass  was 
quite  green,  as  the  depression  had  until  lately  held  water.  This 
rank  herbage  would  ot  course  stop  the  fire  upon  its  arrival  from 
the  sloping  hill-face.  About  forty  yards  from  me  the  grass  was 
high  and  dry. 

About  half  an  hour  after  the  guns  were  posted  we  heard  the 
whistles,  and  shortly  after  the  smoke  rose  in  various  places,  until 
at  last  a  crescent  of  fire  spread  over  the  hill.  The  wind  was  very 
light,  therefore  the  fire  traveled  slowly,  and  the  game  advanced 
at  an  easy  pace.  I  now  heard  shots  upon  my  left  at  the  extreme 
flank,  where  I  had  posted  a  few  of  the  best  shots  of  the  "  Forty 
Thieves,"  including  Ferritch  Ajoke. 

I  saw  the  game  breaking  covert  in  herds  of  several  hundreds 
in  that  direction.  Presently  Abd-el-Kader  had  a  shot  upon  my 
right,  and  I  observed  several  antelopes  bounding  along  upon  the 
clear  space  in  our  rear. 

I  was  not  in  luck,  but  I  now  saw  a  splendid  buck  leucotis 
walking  quietly  through  the  grass,  and  slowly  descending  the 
slope  to  the  green  hollow,  which  would  bring  him  straight  to- 
ward me  should  he  keep  this  direction. 

Just  at  that  moment  I  saw  a  long  yellow  tail  rise  suddenly  from 


462 


the  green  hollow,  and  an  instant  later  I  saw  a  fine  lion,  with  tail 
erect,  that  had  evidently  been  disturbed  by  the  advancing  fire. 

The  lion  was  down  wind  of  the  buck  leucotis,  which  was  now 
close  to  the  unseen  enemy,  and  was  just  descending  the  bank 
which  dipped  into  the  green  hollow;  this  would  bring  the  ante- 
lope almost  upon  the  lion's  back.  The  two  animals  suddenly 
appeared  to  touch  each  other  as  the  leucotis  jumped  down  the 
bank,  and  the  lion  sprang  to  one  side,  apparently  as  much  star- 
tled as  the  antelope,  which  bounded  off  in  another  direction. 
The  lion  now  disappeared  in  the  high  grass,  with  the  head  to- 
ward my  position. 

I  whispered  to  my  boys  not  to  be  afraid  should  the  lion  appear 
close  to  us,  and  at  the  same  time  I  took  the  spare  gun  from  Bel- 
laal,  and  laid  it  against  the  ant-hill  to  be  in  readiness.  This  was 
a  breech-loader,  with  buck-shot  cartridges,  for  small  antelopes. 

In  a  few  minutes  I  heard  a  distinct  rustling  in  the  high  grass 
before  me.  The  two  boys  were  squatting  on  the  grouncl  to  my 
right. 

Presently  a  louder  rustling  in  the  grass,  within  forty  yards  in 
my  front,  was  followed  by  the  head  and  shoulders  of  a  large  lion- 
ess, who  apparently  saw  the  two  boys,  and  with  her  hazel  eyes 
fixed  she  advanced  slowly  toward  them. 

Not  wishing  to  allow  a  closer  acquaintance,  I  aimed  at  her 
chest,  and  fired  the  "Dutchman." 

The  lioness  rolled  completely  over,  backward,  and  three  times 
she  turned  convulsive  somersaults,  at  the  same  time  roaring  tre- 
mendously;  but  to  my  astonishment  she  appeared  to  recover, 
and  I  immediately  fired  my  left-hand  barrel.  At  this  she  charged 
in  high  bounds  straight  toward  my  two  boys. 

I  had  just  time  to  snatch  up  my  spare  gun  and  show  myself 
from  behind  the  ant-hill,  when  the  lioness,  startled  by  my  sudden 
appearance,  turned,  and  I  fired  a  charge  of  buck-shot  into  her 
hind-quarters  as  she  disappeared  in  the  high  grass  upon  my  right. 

I  now  heard  her  groaning,  in  a  succession  of  deep  guttural 
sounds,  within  fifty  yards  of  me. 

In  a  few  minutes  I  heard  a  shot  from  Abd-el-Kader,  and  he 
shortly  came  to  tell  me  that  the  wounded  lioness,  with  her  chest 
and  shoulder  covered  with  blood,  had  come  close  to  his  hiding- 
place;  he  had  fired,  and  had  broken  her  ankle-joint,  but-she  was 
still  concealed  in  the  grass. 

Shooli  and  Gimoro  now  came  up  with  some  of  the  natives,  as 
they  had  heard  the  lion  roar,  and  feared  some  accident  might 
have  happened. 


EXCOUXTER  WITH  A  LIONESS. 


463 


These  were  very  plucky  fellows,  and  they  at  once  proposed  to 
go  close  up  and  spear  her  in  the  grass,  if  I  would  back  them  up 
with  the  rifles. 

We  arrived  at  the  supposed  spot,  and  after  a  search  we  distin- 
guished a  yellowish  mass  within  some  withered  reeds. 

Shooli  now  proposed  that  he  should  throw  his  spear,  upon 
which  the  lioness  would  certainly  charge  from  her  covert,  and  af- 
ford us  a  good  shot,  if  the  guns  were  properly  arranged. 

I  would  not  allow  this,  but  I  determined  to  fire  a  shot  at  the 
yellow  mass  to  bring  her  out,  if  every  one  would  be  ready  to  re- 
ceive her. 

Lieutenant  Baker  was  on  my  right,  with  a  double-barreled  ex- 
press rifle  that  carried  a  No.  70  bullet.  This  minute  projectile 
was  of  little  use  against  the  charge  of  a  lion. 

I  fired  into  the  mass  at  about  twenty  yards'  distance. 

The  immediate  reply  was  a  determined  charge,  and  the  en- 
raged animal  came  bounding  toward  us  with  tremendous  roars. 
The  natives  threw  their  spears,  but  missed  her.  Mr.  Baker  fired, 
but  neither  he  nor  a. left-hand  barrel  from  the  "  Dutchman  "  could 
check  her.  Every  body  had  to  run,  and  I  luckily  snatched  a 
breech-loading  No.  12  smooth-bore,  loaded  with  ball,  from  a  pan- 
ic-stricken lad,  and  rolled  her  over  with  a  shot  in  the  chest  when 
she  was  nearly  in  the  midst  of  us. 

She  retreated  with  two  or  three  bounds  to  her  original  covert. 

I  had  now  reloaded  the  "Dutchman,"  and  having  given  orders 
that  every  one  should  keep  out  of  the  wa}',  and  be  ready,  I  went 
close  up  to  the  grass  with  Shooli,  and  quickly  discovered  her. 
She  was  sitting  up  like  a  dog,  but  was  looking  in  the  opposite 
direction,  as  though  expecting  an  enemy  in  that  quarter. 

I  was  within  twelve  yards  of  her,  and  I  immediately  put  a 
bullet  in  the  back  of  her  neck,  which  dropped  her  dead. 

In  her  inside  we  discovered  a  freshly-eaten  leucotis  calf,  which 
had  been  simply  divided  by  her  teeth  in  lamps  of  about  two 
pounds  each.  This  was  quite  fresh,  and  my  soldiers  and  the  na- 
tives divided  it  among  them  as  a  bonne-bouche.    Nasty  fellows ! 

The  day's  sport  had  been :  one  lioness,  killed  by  nryself ;  one 
leucotis  buck,  by  Mr.  Baker ;  one  leucotis  buck,  by  Abd-el-Ka- 
der ;  two  does  of  the  same  species,  by  Ferritch  Ajoke ;  and  the 
natives  had  speared  three  calves.  Total,  one  lioness  and  seven 
antelopes — all  of  which  were  to  be  eaten. 

We  reached  home  at  5.40  p.m.,  not  having  had  time  to  eat 
any  thing  since  the  preceding  evening.  The  lioness  measured 
nine  feet  six  inches  from  nose  to  tail  extremity. 


464 


ISMAILlA. 


As  this  work  is  simply  an  account  of  the  principal  events  con- 
nected with  the  Khedive's  expedition,  I  can  not  afford  space 
for  many  sporting  incidents.  Game  was  very  abundant,  and  we 
generally  kept  the  station  well  supplied ;  at  the  same  time  I 
gave  large  quantities  of  flesh  to  the  natives. 

I  sometimes  sent  a  party  of  my  "Forty"  to  hunt,  in  which 
sport  they  took  a  great  interest,  and  the  practice  with  the  rifle 
improved  their  shooting. 

The  natives  throughout  the  country  were  perfectly  happy  and 
contented,  but  the  women  had  been  somewhat  disturbed  by  the 
accounts  they  had  received  of  our  encounter  with  the  lioness. 
They  held  a  meeting  in  Girnoro's  village. 

On  the  following  day  both  Gimoro  and  Shooli  arrived  at  my 
public  divan,  looking  rather  dejected. 

They  informed  me  that  the  women,  having  held  a  meeting, 
had  arrived  at.  the  conclusion  "  that  the  Pasha  must  not  be  allow- 
ed to  go  out  l)  inting,  as  he  might  possibly  be  killed  by  a  lion 
or  a  buffalo.  What  would  happen  to  us?"  continued  the  wom- 
en, "if  any  accident  should  befall  our  father?  Would  not  the 
slave  -  hunters  immediately  return  to  the  country  and  destroy 
us,  simply  because  he  had  protected  us?  Do  we  not  now  sleep 
in  peace?  and  were  we  not  always  awake  at  night  before  he 
came  among  us?" 

The  women  decided  that  I  was  to  be  kept  in  the  camp  as  a 
cojoor,  or  talisman,  and  that  the  natives  were  not  to  lead  me  into 
danger  of  wild  animals. 

This  declaration  of  the  ladies  of  Fatiko  could  hardly  be  called 
petticoat  government,  as  their  total  independence  of  attire  pre- 
cluded any  reference  to  such  a  garment ;  but  it  was  a  distinct 
assertion  of  women's  right  to  protect  the  person  who  had  pro- 
tected them.  They  were  excellent  people,  and  were  always  well 
cared  for  and  kindly  treated  by  the  men. 

My  fort  at  Fatiko  was  within  call  of  two  large  villages — those 
of  Gimoro  and  the  sheik  of  the  country.  During  my  sojourn  of 
seven  months,  I  never  heard  a  woman  scream,  neither  was  there 
any  domestic  or  civil  disturbance. 

There  were  no  police  required  in  that  country ;  there  were  no 
pickpockets,  as  there  were  no  pockets  to  pick — which  was  one 
advantage  in  favor  of  nudity.  A  London  police  magistrate 
would  have  died  of  ennui;  the  constables  could  not  even  have 
sworn  to  a  case  of  intoxication,  merely  as  a  matter  of  form  to 
afford  him  employment.  There  were  no  immoral  females  to 
disgrace  the  public  streets ;  neither  were  there  any  beggars,  va- 


HAPPY  G  0  VERNMENT. 


4G5 


grants,  organ-grinders,  or  perambulators  to  worry,  deafen,  or  up- 
set you.  My  country  was  a  picture  of  true  harmony.  We  bad 
no  complex  machinery  of  law ;  there  was  no  such  difficulty  as 
an  estate  in  Chancery;  no  Divorce  Court,  or  cases  of  crim.  con. 
that  necessitated  an  appeal.  Adultery  would  be  settled  by  flog- 
ging respondent  and  co-respondent,  with  a  judicial  separation 
after  the  punishment. 

I  had  no  ecclesiastical  difficulties;  no  High  Church,  Ritualists, 
Low  Church,  Broad  Churchmen,  philosophers,  Wesleyans,  Bap- 
tists, Presbyterians,  Roman  Catholics,  Episcopalians,  Independ- 
ents, nor  even  a  Jesuit,  or  a  descendant  of  Israel,  to  bring  dis- 
cord into  my  harmonious  tabernacle. 

My  troops  were  Mohammedans,  without  an  opposing  sect ; 
therefore,  for  lack  of  opposition,  they  were  lukewarm  believers. 

The  natives  believed  in  nothing. 

The  curious  fact  remained,  that  without  the  slightest  prin- 
ciple of  worship,  or  even  a  natural  religious  instinct,  these  people 
should  be  free  from  many  vices  that  disgrace  a  civilized  com- 
munity. I  endeavored  to  persuade  the  most  intelligent  of  the 
existence  of  a  Deity  who  could  reward  or  punish ;  but  beyond 
this  I  dared  not  venture,  as  they  would  have  asked  practical 
questions,  which  I  could  not  have  explained  to  their  material 
understanding. 

I  extract  verbatim  from  my  journal  the  short  entry  of  Decem- 
ber 31st,  1872 : 

"  The  close  of  the  year  finds  us,  thank  God,  at  peace  in  this 
country,  with  every  prospect  of  prosperity." 


466 


ISMAILlA. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

ARRIVAL  OF  WTES&8  ENVOYS. 

Ox  January  15th,  1873,  the  sentry  on  the  rock  citadel  reported 
a  party  arriving  from  the  Unyoro  road.  Shortly  after  the  re- 
ports of  guns  were  heard,  and  it  was  made  known  that  envoj^s 
had  arrived  from  M'tese,  the  king  of  Uganda,  together  with  an 
escort  of  natives,  and  two  of  my  soldiers  from  Rionga.  M'tese's 
people  were  armed  with  guns. 

The  envoys  were  quickly  ushered  into  the  new  divan,  which 
was  a  circular,  lofty  building,  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  neatly 
plastered,  and  painted  light  gray,  with  a  mixture  of  wood-ashes. 

Ali  Jusef,  the  principal  envoy,  was  a  native  of  Sishuaali,  on  - 
the  coasts  of  the  Red  Sea  entrance  and  the  Indian  Ocean.    I  had 
several  officers  who  were  natives  of  the  same  country,  including 
the  gallant  Ferritch  Agha  and  Said  Agha;  thus  I  had  excellent 
interpreters. 

The  envoys  were  beautifully  clean,  in  white  Bombay  cotton 
clothes,  and  they  were  quite  civilized,  and  as  intelligent  as  Euro- 
peans. They  appeared  to  have  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
route  to  India,  and  the  various  tribes  along  the  eastern  coast  of 
equatorial  Africa. 

These  people  gave  me  much  useful  information ;  and  I  shall, 
as  usual  in  this  work,  simply  extract  from  my  journal  the  exact 
entry  made  at  the  moment  whenever  I  received  geographical  re- 
ports from  the  natives.  Thus  I  shall  give  to  the  public  the  un- 
polished statements  precisely  as  I  heard  them,  upon  which  data 
theoretical  geographers  may  form  their  own  opinions: 

"  The  envoys  report,  that  from  Ujiji  (pronounced  by  them 
Uyeye)  you  can  travel  by  lake  direct  to  Magungo,  the  lake  be- 
in^  the  M'wootan  N'zi^e. 

"  The  Victoria  N'yanza  is  called  by  two  names,  '  Sessy '  or 
'KureweV  Although  large,  it  is  small  in  comparison  with  the 
M'wootan  N'zige." 

There  was  no  news  of  Livingstone ;  but,  according  to  my  re- 
quest from  Masindi.,  M'tese  had  sent  everywhere  in  search  of  him, 
and  he  had  forwarded  my  two  letters  addressed  to  him  in  differ- 
ent directions. 


LETTER  TO  LIVINGSTONE. 


467 


The  king,  M'tese,  had  written  me  a  letter  expressing  great 
friendship,  and  declaring  that  when  the  news  of  Kabba  Kega's 
treachery  had  reached  him,  he  had  sent  an  army  under  General 
Congow,  to  be  placed  at  my  disposal. 

This  army  was  now  quartered  at  Mashudi,*  waiting  for  my  or- 
ders. M'tese  begged  me  to  visit  him  as  soon  as  possible,  as  he 
only  had  one  desire,  i.  <?.,  "to  see  my  face,"  and  that  he  "did  not 
wish  for  presents." 

This  was  a  model  African  potentate ;  at  the  same  time  I  could 
not  possibly  visit  him,  as  my  term  of  service  would  expire  upon 
the  1st  of  April. 

I  was  much  disappointed  at  this  impossibility,  as  M'tese  can 
do  more  for  Central  Africa  than  any  other  potentate.  He  be- 
haved well  to  Speke  and  Grant,  and  he  had  been  very  true  to  me. 

On  February  11th  fresh  envoys  arrived  from  M'tese,  including 
my  old  friend  Waysooah,  who  was  as  usual  dressed  very  careful- 
ly in  Indian  costume,  with  a  handsomely  worked  cotton  robe. 

M'tese  had  written  me  another  letter  in  Arabic,  begging  me  to 
send  him  one  of  my  soldiers  as  my  representative,  if  I  could  not 
come  personally. 

The  road  was  now  declared  to  be  practically  open  between 
Fatiko  and  Zanzibar  by  means  of  M'tese's  friendship. 

This  excellent  man,  who  was  now  a  Mohammedan,  and  kept 
an  Arab  secretary,  had  already  sent  to  Ujiji  in  search  of  Living- 
stone, according  to  my  request,  and  his  messengers  had  returned 
with  the  news,  "that  he  had  been  at  Ujiji,  and  had  crossed  the 
lake  to  the  west;  since  which  nothing  had  been  heard  of  him." 

M'tese's  people  were  still  in  search  of  Livingstone.  Ujiji  was 
declared  to  be  on  the"  M'wootan  N'zige,"  i.  e.,  the  Albert  N'yanza. 

I  give  this  information  exactly  as  I  received  it. 

I  now  wrote  a  letter  to  Dr.  Livingstone,  of  which  the  following 
is  a  copy : 

"Fort  Fatiko  (N.  lat.  3°  1' ;  E.  long.  32°  36'), 
"February  13,  1873. 

"My  dear  Livingstone, — M'tese,  the  king  of  Uganda,  has 
been  searching  for  you,  according  to  my  instructions  sent  to  him 
in  June,  1872. 

"He  also  forwarded  my  letters,  to  be  given  to  you  when  met 
with. 

"His  envoys  have  now  visited  me  at  Fatiko,  with  the  report 
that  M'tese's  messengers  heard  of  you  as  having  formerly  been 


*  Two  days'  march  from  Rionga's  island. 


466 


ISMAILlA. 


at  Ujiji,  but  that  you  had  left  that  station  and  crossed  the  Tan- 
ganyika to  the  west. 

'•Nothing  more  is  known  of  you. 

"I  have  sent  a  soldier  with  the  envoys  who  convey  this  letter; 
he  will  remain  with  M'tese.  This  soldier  (Selim)  was  one  of 
Speke's  men,  who  traveled  from  Zanzibar  to  Cairo. 

"M'tese  will  take  the  greatest  care  of  you.  He  has  behaved 
very  well  to  the  government. 

"Since  I  wrote  to  you  in  June,  Kabba  Kega  treacherously  at- 
tacked me  with  many  thousand  men. 

"I  thrashed  him  thoroughly,  and  I  have  set  up  Eionga,  the 
old  enemy  of  his  family,  who  is  now  sheik  of  the  government. 

"M'tese  sent  Congow  with  several  thousand  men  to  assist  the 
troops. 

"I  trust,  my  dear  Livingstone,  that  this  letter  may  reach  you. 
Do  not  come  down  the  lake.  It  is  now  well  known  that  the 
Tanganyika  is  the  Albert  N'yanza,  both  known  as  the  great 
lake  M'wootan  N'zige. 

"A  steamer  will,  I  trust,  be  on  the  lake  this  year. 

"  Ever  yours  most  sincerely,  Sam.  W.  Baker." 

On  February  13th,  after  a  few  days'  pleasant  sojourn  at  Fatiko, 
M'tese's  envoys  returned  to  Uganda,  accompanied  by  my  repre- 
sentative, Selim,  who,  although  a  private,  was  a  very  intelligent 
Suachli ;  he  had  formerly  accompanied  Speke  from  Zanzibar. 
I  gave  Selim  instructions  to  impress  upon  M'tese  the  necessity 
of  assisting  Livingstone  without  a  moment's  dela}^. 

It  is  interesting  to  remember,  now  that  the  great  traveler  is 
dead,  that  the  arrangements  I  had  made  for  his  assistance  would 
have  secured  his  safety,  and  would  have  enabled  him  to  pursue 
his  geographical  investigations  northward,  without  the  slightest 
risk  or  difficulty,  beyond  the  bodily  fatigue  which  is  inseparable 
from  African  travel. 

My  letter  was  not  only  delivered  by  M'tese's  orders  into  the 
hands  of  Lieutenant  Cameron,  K.  N.,  at  Unyamyembi,  but  3ftese 
actually  sent  me  his  reply  through  the  tueary  distance  to  Gondokoro! 
This  reply  was  received  by  my  successor,  Colonel  Gordon,  and 
was  forwarded  to  the  Khedive,  as  a  proof  of  the  effect  of  the  ex- 
pedition under  my  command,  in  opening  through  postal  communi- 
cation in  the  heart  of  Africa.  People  who  are  unacquainted  with 
the  difficulties  of  Africa  can  not  sufficiently  appreciate  this  grand 
result.  The  intelligent  king,  M'tese,  should  receive  a  present 
from  our  government,  as  a  reward  for  having  exerted  himself  to 


ARRIVAL  OF  RE-ENFORCEMENTS. 


469 


assist  an  English  consul  in  distress.  The  small  sum  of  two  hun- 
dred pounds,  judiciously  expended,  would  procure  trifles  that 
would  be  treasures  to  M'tese,  and  would  do  more  to  open  up 
Central  Africa  to  travelers  than  any  other  means. 

I  fear  this  will  be  forgotten,  and  that  M'tese  will  be  neglected 
after  this  truly  philanthropic  effort  to  relieve  an  English  traveler 
and  consul  when  in  difficulty. 

I  wrote  a  letter  thanking  M'tese  for  all  that  he  had  done,  and 
assuring  him  that  our  country  would  be  grateful  to  him  for  any 
assistance  that  he  might  render  Livingstone.  At  the  same  time 
that  I  thanked  him  for  his  aid  to  myself,  I  begged  he  would 
recall  his  army  from  Unyoro,  as  my  troops,  although  few,  were 
strong,  and  that,  having  already  defeated  Kabba  Eega,  I  re- 
quired no  assistance. 

I  sent  General  Congo w  a  present  of  a  sword,  and  a  few  articles 
to  M'tese,  in  return  for  a  specimen  of  beautifully-dressed  skins, 
sewn  together  as  neatly  as  the  work  of  a  French  glover  

The  time  wore  on  in  considerable  anxiety  concerning  the  par- 
ty that  I  had  sent  to  Gondokoro,  under  Wat-el-Mek,  for  re-en- 
forcements. 

I  had  allowed  them  forty-two  days  for  their  return  to  Fatiko 
with  the  cattle  and  troops,  but  no  intelligence  had  been  received 
of  their  movements  from  the  week  they  had  started.  Fortunate- 
ly, the  abundance  of  game  in  the  neighborhood  had  supplied  the 
troops  with  meat. 

At  length,  after  ninety-three  days'  absence,  news  was  brought 
that  Wat-el-Mek  and  the  troops  were  close  at  hand.  Shooli  had 
arrived  at  day-break  to  say  that  a  native  had  seen  them  on  the 
previous  evening  on  the  north  side  of  Shooa  hill,  about  seven 
miles  from  Fatiko. 

At  2.30  p.m.,  on  March  8th,  we  distinguished  the  white  uni- 
forms ascending  the  plateau  at  the  north  end  of  the  Fatiko  plain, 
and  shortly  after,  the  main  body  emerged  from  among  the  rocks 
and  foliage,  and  formed  on  the  level  ground.  I  at  once  distin- 
guished with  the  telescope  the  lieutenant-colonel,  Tayib  Agha, 
upon  his  well-known  powerful  white  horse. 

My  troops,  in  full  uniform,  went  out  to  meet  the  re-enforce- 
ments, which  quickly  marched  up  and  formed  on  the  level  turf 
outside  the  fort,  upon  the  north  side. 

I  rode  out  and  inspected  the  troops. 

Not  one  head  of  cattle  had  arrived/ 

The  lieutenant-colonel,  Tayib  Agha,  had  made  a  sad  mess  of 
his  command  during  the  march.    He  had  quarreled  with  Wat- 


■170 


ISMAILlA. 


el-Mek ;  and  simply  because  some  of  the  native  carriers  had  ab- 
sconded in  a  portion  of  the  Bari  country  named  Moogi,  he  had 
set  fire  to  the  villages  in  revenge!  This  was  in  a  country  where 
I  had  established  peace. 

The  Baris  had  attacked  the  troops,  and  had  not  only  kill- 
ed twenty -eight  of  our  men,  but  had  actually  stripped  the  bod- 
ies, and  possessed  themselves  of  clothes,  arms,  and  ammunition. 
They  had  also  captured  the  cattle. 

Although  Tayib  Agha  had  about  two  hundred  and  eight}' 
men,  he  actually  retreated,  and  dared  not  attack  the  natives  to 
recover  either  the  bodies  of  his  men  or  their  muskets ! 

I  at  once  determined  to  leave  Major  Abdullah  as  commandant 
at  Fatiko,  and  to  take  Tayib  Agha  back  to  Gondokoro,  as  he 
was  not  fit  for  an  independent  command. 

The  immense  delay  in  sending  up  the  re -enforcements  had 
been  occasioned  by  the  long  voyage  from  Khartoum. 

When  Wat-el-Mek  had  reached  Gondokoro,  the  troops  had  not 
arrived  from  Khartoum ;  therefore  he  was  obliged  to  wait. 

When  at  length  they  did  arrive,  they  had  been  thirteen  months 
on  the  voyage  from  Khartoum  to  Gondokoro,  and  had  passed 
the  rainy  season  with  the  slave-traders  in  the  camp  of  Kutchuk 
Ali,  on  the  Bahr  Giraffe;  this  river  they  reported  as  navigable, 
owing  to  my  canals,  which  had  continued  open. 

It  was  the  old  story  of  delay  and  indolence,  unless  I  was  per- 
sonally present  to  force  them  forward. 

I  had  now  six  hundred  and  twenty  men;  therefore  I  re -en- 
forced Eionga  and  the  various  stations.  I  thus  garrisoned  strong- 
ly Fatiko,  Fabbo,  and  Paniadoli  —  the  stockade  opposite  Kion- 
ga's  island,  in  N.  lat.  2°  6'. 

The  country  of  Unyoro  was  now  completely  in  the  grasp  of 
Ali  Genninar  and  Eionga.  Unyoro  extends  to  the  south  of  the 
equator  on  the  shores  of  the  Albert  N'yanza,  where  Kabba  Rega, 
who  was  now  lost,  was  supposed  to  be  hiding. 

On  March  14th  I  drew  out  the  following  orders  for  Major  Ab- 
dullah, who  would  remain  as  commandant  of  Fatiko  : 

"  1.  Observe  the  rules  at  present  existing  respecting  sentries. 

ci  2.  Observe  the  rules  at  present  existing  for  cleanliness  of  camp. 

"  3.  Plant  negheel  grass  on  ramparts  during  the  rainy  season. 

"4.  Clean  out  the  fort  ditch  once  every  month. 

"5.  Each  company  of  troops  is  to  cultivate  corn  and  vegeta- 
bles at  the  commencement  of  the  rains. 

"  6.  Each  company  to  be  exercised  at  musketry  drill  for  one 
hour  daily. 


NEWS  FROM  ENGLAND. 


All 


"7.  All  troops  to  be  exercised  at  light-infantry  drill  for  three 
hours  on  Mondays  and  Fridays,  upon  which  days  there  will  be 
no  other  work. 

"8.  The  corn -tax  is  to  be  regularly  collected,  so  that  three 
months'  supply  shall  be  the  minimum  in  the  camp  granaries. 

"9.  The  bugle  to  sound  the  night  alarm  once  every  month,  to 
accustom  the  men  to  night-quarters. 

"  10.  The  troops  to  occupy  their  stations  at  general  quarters, 
according  to  present  practice. 

"  11.  Banana-plants  to  be  introduced  upon  every  opportunity 
from  Magungo. 

"12.  Coffee-berries*  to  be  sown  in  nursery -beds,  when  re- 
ceived from  M'tese. 

"13.  The  old  huts  to  be  cleared  awray  and  replaced  by  new, 
constructed  in  lines  similar  to  those  in  the  south  camp. 

"  14.  No  ivory  to  be  purchased  in  exchange  for  cattle,  but 
only  in  barter  for  goods. 

"15.  No  slaves  to  be  either  purchased  or  taken. 

"  16.  The  bugle  to  sound  'extinguish  fires'  at  8  P.M." 

Having  left  every  thing  in  perfect  order  in  the  new  central 
territory,  I  was  ready  to  start  for  Gondokoro  on  March  20th. 

I  had  been  two  years  and  five  months  without  any  news  or 
communication  with  either  Egypt  or  Europe  when  the  post  ar- 
rived with  Wat-el-Mek.  About  seven  hundred  copies  of  the 
Times  had  arrived  at  once.  We  had  been  introduced  to  the  Tich- 
borne  case ;  and  of  course  had,  at  the  earliest  stage  of  the  trial, 
concluded  that  the  claimant  was  Arthur  Orton.  The  news  that 
is  almost  stereotyped  in  English  newspapers  gave  us  the  striking 
incidents  of  civilization.  Two  or  three  wives  had  been  brutally 
knocked  about  by  their  husbands,  who  had  received  only  a  slight 
punishment.  A  prominent  divorce  case ;  a  few  Irish  agrarian 
outrages;  a  trial  in  the  ecclesiastical  court  of  a  refractory  clergy- 
man ;  the  smash-up  of  a  few  public  companies,  with  the  profitable 
immunity  of  the  directors;  a  lady  burned  to  death;  a  colliery 
explosion ;  several  hundred  railway  accidents,  which  induced  me 
to  prefer  walking;  the  Communists  had  half  destroyed  Paris; 
republican  principles  were  fast  spreading  through  England;  the 
Gladstone  ministry  would  last  forever;  some  babies  had  been 
poisoned,  and  the  baby-farmer  had  been  hanged  ;  deceased  wives' 
sisters  were  to  marry  their  disconsolate  brothers;  England  was 
to  pay  a  tribute  to  America  (for  the  freaks  of  the  Alabama) ; 


*  I  had  written  to  him  for  a  supply  of  coftee-seed. 

36 


47-i 


ISMAILlA. 


drunkenness  was  on  the  increase;  ladies  were  to  become  our 
physicians,  etc.  I  was  almost  afraid  to  return  home ;  but  as  I 
had  some  friends  and  relations  that  I  wished  to  see  again,  I  left 
my  little  paradise,  Fatiko,  and  marched  for  Gondokoro,  accom- 
panied by  my  good  natives,  Shooli  and  Gimoro. 

After  the  absurd  conduct  and  the  defeat  of  Tayib  Agha  at 
Moogi,  I  fully  expected  to  have  to  fight  my  way  through ;  but 
upon  arrival  in  that  district  the  natives  knew  me,  and  we  were 
not  molested.  They  even  sent  me  six  cows  which  had  been  lost 
by  Tayib  Agha  on  the  road  during  his  unlucky  march. 

I  had  taken  under  my  especial  protection  a  number  of  Bari 
women  and  young  girls  whom  Wat-el-Mek  and  Tayib  Agha  had 
pressed  into  their  service  to  carry  loads  during  their  journey 
from  Gondokoro  to  Fatiko.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  these 
poor  creatures  never  would  have  been  returned  to  their  country, 
had  I  not  delivered  them;  but  seeing  their  condition  upon  their 
arrival  at  Fatiko,  I  had  ordered  them  to  accompany  me,  and  to 
show  me  the  position  of  their  homes  during  the  march. 

On  arrival  at  the  broad  dry  bed  of  a  stream  about  two  days' 
march  from  Gondokoro,  we  halted  beneath  the  shade  of  a  large 
tree  for  breakfast.  The  women  and  children  now  approached, 
and  hesitatingly  declared  that  this  was  their  country,  and  their 
villages  were  near.  They  evidently  doubted  my  sincerity  in  re- 
storing them,  which  hurt  me  exceedingly. 

"Go,  my  good  women,"  I  exclaimed;  "and  when  you  arrive 
at  your  homes,  explain  to  your  people  that  you  were  captured 
entirely  against  my  will,  and  that  I  am  only  happy  to  have  re- 
stored you." 

For  a  few  moments  they  looked  around  them,  as  hardly  be- 
lieving the  good  news.  In  another  instant,  as  the  truth  flashed 
across  their  delighted  minds,  they  rushed  upon  me  in  a  body,  and 
before  I  had  time  for  self-defense,  I  found  myself  in  the  arms  of 
a  naked  beauty  who  kissed  me  almost  to  suffocation,  and,  with  a 
most  unpleasant  embrace,  licked  both  my  eyes  with  her  tongue. 
The  sentries  came  to  my  assistance,  together  with  the  servants, 
who  withstood  the  grateful  crowd ;  otherwise  both  my  wife  and 
myself  would  have  been  subjected  to  this  painful  thanksgiving 
from  the  liberated  Bari  women. 

Their  freedom  having  been  explained,  we  gave  each  a  present 
of  beads  as  a  reward  for  the  trouble  they  had  undergone,  and 
the}^  went  away  rejoicing  upon  the  road  to  their  own  homes. 

We  arrived  at  Gondokoro  on  April  1st,  1873,  without  the 
slightest  disturbance  during  the  march.    This  was  the  exact  day 


EAOUF  BEY'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


473 


upon  which  my  term  of  service  would  have  expired,  according 
to  my  original  agreement  with  the  Khedive. 

I  halted  the  troops  about  half  a  mile  from  Gondokoro,  to  allow 
them  to  change  their  clothes,  when  I  observed  with  the  telescope 
some  of  the  Englishmen  approaching.  Several  of  my  welcome 
countrymen  at  length  arrived. 

"  Where  is  Mr.  Higginbotham  ?"  I  asked,  as  I  was  eager  to  see 
my  excellent  chief-engineer  and  friend. 

There  was  a  slight  pause  before  the  reply  :  "He  died  on  the 
last  day  of  February  /" 

I  was  quite  overpowered  with  the  dreadful  news !  Poor  Hig- 
ginbotham !  who  had  been  my  right  hand  throughout  the  early 
portion  of  the  expedition !  He  was  a  man  who  so  thoroughly 
represented  the  character  that  we  love  to  think  is  truly  English, 
combining  all  energy,  courage,  and  perseverance.    He  was  gone! 

We  marched  into  Gondoroko.  Fourteen  months  had  made  a 
change  for  the  worse.  I  had  left  the  station  with  a  neat  ditch 
and  earth -work;  the  environs  had  been  clean.  It  was  now  a 
mass  of  filth.  Bones  and  remnants  of  old  clothes,  that  would 
have  been  a  fortune  to  a  rag-and-bone  shop,  lay  scattered  in  all 
directions.  The  ditch  was  filled  up  with  sand,  and  the  fallen 
bank  washed  in  by  the  heavy  rains,  as  it  had  never  been  cleansed 
during  my  absence. 

The  guns  fired  a  salute ;  Kaouf  Bey  and  the  troops  appeared 
in  good  health;  and  I  was  shown  into  poor  Higginbotham's 
house  on  the  cliff  above  the  river. 

A  beautiful  new  steamer  of  one  hundred  and  eight  tons,  built 
of  steel,  with  twin  screws,  was  floating  on  the  stream.  This  was 
the  work  of  my  Englishmen,  who  had  taken  a  pride  in  turning 
out  the  best  results  that  Messrs.  Samuda  Brothers  and  Messrs. 
Penn  &  Co.  could  produce. 

I  went  on  board  to  inspect  the  new  vessel  directly  after  break-  ■ 
fast.    She  had  been  admirably  constructed,  and  being  devoid  of 
paddles,  she  would  be  able  to  glide  through  the  narrow  channels 
of  the  Bahr  Giraffe  like  a  fish. 

Although  the  station  was  dirty  and  neglected,  I  must  do  Raouf 
Bey  justice  in  acknowledging  that  he  had  paid  much  attention  to 
the  gardens  on  the  islands,  which  were  producing  so  abundantly 
that  the  troops  received  rations  of  vegetables  daily. 

Paouf  Bey  had  also  shown  determination,  and  had  accepted 
great  responsibility  in  shooting  a  soldier  for  desertion  during  my 
absence. 

It  appeared  that  the  re-enforcements  lately  received  from  Khar- 


174 


ISMAILIA. 


toum  were  merely  slaves  that  had  been  sold  to  the  government, 
and  had  rapidly  been  trained  for  soldiers.  Many  of  these  people 
had  originally  come  from  the  White  Nile,  therefore  they  were 
disposed  to  desert  upon  the  first  opportunity. 

A  considerable  number  had  deserted,  with  their  arms  and  am- 
munition. They  had  also  stolen  Raouf  Bey's  guns  and  rifles  from 
his  house,  and  had  absconded  to  Belinian.  Raouf  Bey  had  called 
upon  the  Belinian  to  give  up  the  deserters;  but  the  Belinian  na- 
tives had  only  replied  to  the  summonses  by  making  nightly  dem- 
onstrations of  attack  against  the  station  of  Gondokoro,  which  had 
rendered  sound  sleep  impossible  for  the  last  month.  Raouf  Bey 
had  accordingly  invaded  Belinian,  and  had  fought  a  pitched  bat- 
tle, in  which  the  deserters  who  had  joined  the  Baris  fired  upon 
the  troops.    Two  of  them  were  killed.* 

I  immediately  sent  for  Allorron,  who  had  now  become  a  faith- 
ful sheik  of  the  government.  He  confessed  all  his  sins,  and  of 
course  laid  the  whole  blame  upon  Abou  Saood,  who  he  declared 
had  deceived  him,  and  instigated  him  against  the  government. 
I  did  not  wish  for  any  explanations  upon  the  truth  of  which  I 
could  not  rely.  I  therefore  ordered  him  to  go  at  once  to  Belinian, 
and  inform  the  natives  that,  unless  they  gave  up  the  deserters,  I 
should  pay  them  a  visit  with  the  "red  shirts,"  who  had  now  re- 
turned with  me  from  Fatiko.  At  the  same  time  I  promised  him 
three  cows  if  he  succeeded. 

In  a  few  days  he  returned  with  two  deserters.  These  men  were 
tried  by  court-martial,  and,  having  been  found  guilty,  they  were 
shot  in  the  presence  of  the  regiment. 

Order  and  discipline  were  at  once  restored  among  the  troops. 

Now  that  I  had  returned  with  the  "  Forty  Thieves,"  the  natives 
of  Belinian  no  longer  visited  the  camp  at  night,  but  the  country 
shortly  became  quiet  and  peaceful. 

Wat-el-Mek,  who  had  accompanied  me  from  Fatiko,  returned 
with  re-enforcements  and  a  herd  of  cattle  to  his  district.  I  parted 
with  regret  with  my  good  men,  Shooli  and  Gimoro,  to  whom  I 
gave  some  useful  presents. 

On  April  10th  I  commenced  a  new  fort,  with  ditch  and  earth- 
work around  the  magazines ;  but  the  sandy  nature  of  the  soil  will 
cause  much  trouble  during  the  heavy  rains. 

I  ordered  Mr.  Marcopolo  to  take  stock,  together  with  an 
Egyptian  officer  (Foad  Effendi),  of  every  thing  that  remained 


*  On  this  occasion,  the  Baris  being  well  supplied  with  muskets  and  ammunition, 
the  troops  of  Raouf  Bey  suffered  considerable  loss. 


THE  HOMEWARD  JOURNEY. 


475 


within  the  magazine,  and  to  take  a  receipt  for  his  stores.  This 
task  occupied  nearly  a  month. 

The  Englishmen  had  carefully  packed  every  thing  that  belong- 
ed to  the  No.  3  steamer  and  machinery,  and  had  stowed  her  in  a 
magazine  that  was  given  in  charge  of  an  officer,  who  gave  a  re- 
ceipt for  the  contents. 

Every  thing  was  ready  by  May  25th  for  our  return  homeward. 
I  erected  a  monument  of  red  brick,  coated  with  pitch,  over  my 
poor  friend  Higginbotham's  grave,  within  my  garden,  near  the 
spot  where  the  missionaries  were  formerly  buried. 

We  started  on  the  26th,  having  taken  a  farewell  of  my  gallant 
"  Forty  Thieves,"  many  of  whom  showed  much  emotion  at  part- 
ing. As  I  walked  down  the  line  of  troops  when  I  took  official 
leave,  my  old  soldiers  broke  the  bounds  of  discipline  by  shouting, 
"  May  God  give  you  a  long  life !  and  may  you  meet  your  family 
in  good  health  at  home !" 

I  felt  a  choking  sensation  in  saying  good-bye;  but  we  were 
soon  on  board,  and  the  steam  was  up. 

The  new  steamer,  the  Khedive,  took  us  in  tow,  and  we  traveled 
rapidly  down  the  stream  toward  home  in  Old  England. 

Although  I  had  written  the  most  important  letters  to  the  Khe- 
dive and  to  his  minister  in  October,  1871,  I  had,  to  my  amaze- 
ment, not  received  one  word  in  reply  by  the  post  that  had  arrived 
from  Egypt.  I  had  apparently  been  looked  upon  as  a  dead  man 
that  did  not  require  a  letter.  It  appeared  that  my  existence  was 
utterly  ignored  by  the  Egyptian  government,  although  I  had  re- 
ceived my  letters  in  due  course  from  England. 

On  arrival  at  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  we  found  that  the  canals  which 
I  had  formerly  cut  were  much  improved  by  the  force  of  the  stream. 
Although  these  passages  were  narrow,  they  had  become  deep,  and 
we  progressed  with  comparatively  little  trouble. 

On  June  7th  three  sails  were  reported  ahead  on  the  horizon. 
We  pushed  forward  with  some  curiosity,  but,  unfortunately,  a 
sudd  of  vegetable  rafts  had  closed  the  passage  for  a  short  dis- 
tance, which  required  about  an  hour  to  clean.  This  delayed  the 
chase. 

That  evening,  as  we  had  stopped  for  the  night  at  a  spot  known 
as  the  "  Three  Dubbas,"  we  heard  a  woman's  voice  from  the  high 
grass  addressing  us  in  an  imploring  tone.  I  immediately  sent  a 
boat  to  make  inquiries,  as  one  of  our  native  girls  understood  the 
language. 

It  appeared  that  the  woman  had  the  small-pox,  and  she  had 
been  therefore  thrown  into  the  high  grass,  and  abandoned  by  the 


476 


ISMAIL'IA. 


vakeel  of  the  three  vessels  that  we  had  observed  in  the  distance. 
She  described  these  vessels  as  being  crowded  with  slaves. 

I  gave  the  unfortunate  creature  a  supply  of  six  days'  food,  to- 
gether with  a  cooking-pot  and  some  fire-wood,  but  I  dared  not 
introduce  so  horrible  a  disease  as  the  small-pox  among  our  party. 
She  was  thus  left  alone  upon  the  dubba.* 

On  June  8th  we  steamed  along  toward  the  tall  masts  and 
yards  of  the  three  vessels  which  we  perceived  upon  the  horizon. 

The  intricacies  of  the  narrow  channel  were  such  that  we  did  not 
overtake  the  slavers  until  sunset. 

We  then  anchored  for  the  night  in  a  lake,  while  I  sent  a  boat 
forward  into  the  canal  occupied  by  the  three  vessels  to  order  the 
vakeel  of  the  company  to  visit  me  immediately. 

In  a  short  time  the  boat  returned  with  my  old  acquaintance, 
Wat  Hojoly,  the  vakeel  of  the  Bahr  station  belonging  to  Abou 
Saood. 

I  had  always  liked  this  man,  as  he  was  generally  straightfor- 
ward in  his  manner.  He  now  told  me,  without  the  slightest  re- 
serve, that  during  my  absence  in  the  south  several  cargoes  of 
slaves  had  passed  the  government  station  at  Fashoda  by  bribing 
the  governor,  and  that  he  would  certainly  have  no  difficulty, 
provided  that  I  did  not  seize  him.  He  confessed  that  he  had 
seven  hundred  slaves  on  board  the  three  vessels;  and,  according 
to  orders  that  he  had  received  from  his  master,  Abou  Saood,  he 
was  conveying  them  to  their  destination,  a  few  days  south  of 
Khartoum,  on  the  White  Nile ;  at  which  point  they  could  either 
march  overland  to  the  west  via  Kordofan,  or  to  the  east  via  Sen- 
naar;  whence  they  could  pass  unmolested  to  the  Red  Sea  or  to 
other  markets. 

The  small-pox  had  broken  out  among  the  slaves,  several  of 
whom  had  died. 

I  was  most  thoroughly  disgusted  and  sick  at  heart.  After  all 
the  trouble  and  difficulties  that  we  had  gone  through  for  the 
suppression  of  the  slave-trade,  there  could  be  no  question  of  the 
fact  that  Abou  Saood,  the  great  slave-hunter  of  the  White  Nile, 
was  supported  by  some  high  authority  behind  the  scenes,  upon 
whom  he  could  depend  for  protection. 

This  was  apparently  the  last  act  of  the  drama,  in  which  the 
villain  of  the  piece  could  mock  and  scoff  at  justice,  and  ridicule 
every  effort  that  I  had  made  to  suppress  the  slave-trade.  His 


*  At  this  season  native  fishermen  visited  the  dubba,  therefore  she  was  most  proba- 
bly discovered  on  the  following  morning. 


CONNIVANCE  AT  THE  SLAVE-TRADE. 


477 


vessels  were  actually  sailing  in  triumph  and  defiance  before  the 
wind,  with  flags  flying  the  crescent  and  the  star  above  a  horri- 
ble cargo  of  pest -smitten  humanity,  in  open  contempt  for  my 
authority,  which  Wat  Hojoly  had  been  carefully  informed  did  not 
extend  north  of  Gondokoro. 

I  asked  this  plain-spoken  agent  whether  he  was  quite  sure 
that  he  could  pass  the  government  station?  "Oh  yes,"  he  re- 
plied ;  "  a  little  backsheesh  will  open  the  road ;  there  is  nothing 
to  fear." 

I  was  then  informed  by  the  same  authority  that  Abou  Saood 
had  gone  to  Cairo  to  appeal  to  the  Khedive's  government  against 
my  proceedings,  and  to  represent  his  trade  as  ruined  by  my  acts. 

This  was  a  remarkable  disclosure  at  the  end  of  the  last  act; 
the  moral  of  the  piece  was  thus  explained  before  the  curtain 
fell.  The  slave-hunter  par  excellence  of  the  White  Nile,  who  had 
rented  or  farmed  from  the  government,  for  some  thousands  ster- 
ling per  annum,  the  right  of  trading  in  countries  which  did  not 
belong  to  Egypt,  was  now  on  the  road  to  protest  against  my  in- 
terference with  his  trade,  this  innocent  business  being  represented 
by  three  vessels  ivith  seven  hundred  slaves  that  were  to  pass  unchecked 
before  the  government  station  of  Fashoda. 

I  told  Wat  Hojoly  that  I  did  not  think  he  would  succeed  upon 
this  occasion,  but  that  I  should  certainly  not  lay  hands  upon  him. 

I  had  not  received  replies  to  my  letters  addressed  to  the  Khe- 
dive, therefore  I  was  determined  not  to  exert  physical  force  again  ; 
at  the  same  time  I  made  up  my  mind  that  the  slave-vessels  should 
not  pass  Fashoda. 

On  the  following  morning  we  passed  ahead,  and  the  fearful 
stench  from  the  crowded  slave-vessels,  reeking  with  small-pox, 
followed  us  for  quite  a  mile  down  the  wind. 

On  June  19th,  at  3.30  p.m.,  we  reached  Fashoda.  The  govern- 
or at  once  came  on  board  to  receive  us. 

This  officer  had  been  only  recently  appointed,  and  he  appeared 
to  be  very  energetic,  and  desirous  to  assist  me  in  the  total  extinc- 
tion of  the  slave-trade.  I  assured  the  governor  (Jusef  Effendi) 
that  I  had  entirely  suppressed  it  in  my  territory,  and  I  had  also 
suppressed  the  river  trade  in  1870 ;  but  if  the  authorities  were 
determined  to  connive  at  this  abomination,  I  had  been  placed  in 
a  disgracefully  false  position,  and  had  been  simply  employed  on 
a  fool's  errand. 

Jusef  Effendi  assured  me  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  ves- 
sels to  pass  Fashoda  with  slave  cargoes  now  that  he  represented 
the  government,  as  the  Khedive  had  issued  the  most  positive 


478 


ISM  A I  LI  A. 


orders  within  the  last  six  months  against  the  traffic  in  slaves; 
therefore  such  instructions  must  be  obeyed. 

I  did  not  quite  see  that  obedience  to  such  orders  was  absolute- 
ly necessary,  as  the  slave-trade  had  been  similarly  prohibited  by 
proclamation  in  the  reign  of  the  late  Said  Pasha,  but  with  no 
permanent  effect. 

There  were  two  fine  steamers  lying  at  Fashoda,  which  had 
formed  a  portion  of  the  fleet  of  six  steamers  that  I  had  sent  up 
from  Cairo  some  years  ago  to  tow  my  flotilla  up  the  White  Nile. 
This  was  the  first  time  that  I  had  ever  seen  them. 

I  now  told  Jusef  Effendi  that  he  would  be  held  responsible 
for  the  capture  of  Abou  Saood's  three  vessels,  together  with  the 
seven  hundred  slaves ;  at  the  same  time,  it  would  be  advisable  to 
allow  them  to  arrive  at  Fashoda  before  their  capture  should  be 
attempted,  as  the  fact  of  such  an  audacious  contempt  of  law 
would  at  once  implicate  the  former  governor  as  having  been  in 
the  habit  of  connivance. 

Jusef  Effendi  appeared  to  be  in  earnest.  He  wTas  an  active 
and  highly  intelligent  Circassian,  who  held  the  rank  of  lieuten- 
ant-colonel. 

My  servants  had  discovered  by  chance,  when  in  communication 
with  Wat  Hojoly,  that  Salim  -  Wat  - Howah,  who  had  been  one 
of  the  principal  ringleaders  in  the  attack  upon  the  troops  at  Fati- 
ko,  and  had  subsequently  knocked  down  Suleiman  and  possess- 
ed himself  forcibly  of  the  ammunition  from  the  magazine,  with 
which  he  and  his  party  had  absconded,  was  now  actually  con- 
cealed on  one  of  the  three  slave-vessels.  I  had  taken  care  not  to 
mention  his  name  to  Wat  Hojoly,  lest  he  should  be  left  at  some 
station  upon  the  route,  and  thus  escape  me. 

I  now  gave  a  written  order  to  Jusef  Effendi  to  arrest  him 
upon  the  arrival  of  the  slave-vessels,  and  to  send  him  to  Khar- 
toum in  irons. 

The  news  of  Abou  Saood's  personal  appeal  to  the  government 
at  Cairo  was  confirmed  by  the  best  authorities  at  Fashoda. 

On  June  21st  I  took  leave  of  Jusef  Effendi,  and  upon  the  28th, 
at  11  a.m.,  we  arrived  at  the  large  tree  which  is  within  five  miles 
of  Khartoum,  by  the  short  cut  across  the  neck  of  land  to  the  Blue 
Nile. 

I  stopped  at  this  tree,  and  immediately  wrote  to  Ismail  Yagoob 
Pasha,  the  new  governor  of  Khartoum,  to  telegraph  instantly  to 
Cairo  to  arrest  Abou  Saood. 

I  sent  this  note  by  a  faithful  officer,  Ferritch  Agha,  with  positive 
orders  that  he  was  to  deliver  it  into  the  hands  of  Ismail  Pasha. 


ISUAlL  YAGOOB  PASHA. 


479 


This  order  was  immediately  carried  out  before  any  people  in 
Khartoum  had  an  idea  of  my  return.  Had  I  at  once  steamed 
round  the  point,  some  friend  would  have  telegraphed  my  arrival 
to  Abou  Saood  in  Cairo,  and  he  might  have  gone  into  conceal- 
ment. 

In  the  afternoon  we  observed  a  steamer  rounding  the  distant 
headland  at  the  point  of  junction  of  the  two  Niles.  She  rapidly 
approached,  and  in  about  half  an  hour  my  old  friend,  Ismail 
Yagoob  Pasha,  stepped  on  board  my  diahbeeah,  and  gave  us  a 
hearty  welcome. 

There  was  no  letter  either  from  the  Khedive  or  Cherif  Pasha, 
in  reply  to  the  important  communications  that  I  had  written 
more  than  two  years  ago. 

Ismail  Yagoob  Pasha  was  a  friend  of  eight  years'  date.  I  had 
known  him  during  my  first  expedition  to  the  Nile  sources  as 
Ismail  Bey,  president  of  the  council  at  Khartoum.  He  had  late- 
ly been  appointed  governor ;  and  I  could  only  regret  that  my 
excellent  friend  had  not  been  in  that  capacity  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  expedition,  as  I  should  have  derived  much  as- 
sistance from  his  great  energy  and  intelligence. 

Ismail  Yagoob  Pasha  is  a  Circassian.  I  have  observed  that 
all  those  officers  who  are  superior  to  the  average  in  intellect  and 
general  capacity  belong  to  this  race.  The  Circassians  are  admi- 
rably represented  in  Cherif  Pasha,  who  is  well  known  and  respect- 
ed by  all  Europeans  in  Egypt  for  his  probity  and  high  intelli- 
gence ;  and  Riaz  Pasha,  who  was  lately  the  Minister  for  Public 
Instruction,  is  a  Circassian  much  beloved  and  respected. 

Ismail  Yagoob  had  commenced  a  great  reform  in  the  Soudan, 
in  his  endeavor  to  put  down  the  wholesale  system  of  bribery 
and  corruption  which  was  the  ruin  of  the  country.  He  had  also 
commenced  a  great  work,  according  to  the  orders  he  had  re- 
ceived from  the  Khedive,  to  remove  the  sudd,  or  obstruction,  to 
the  navigation  of  the  great  White  Nile. 

The  Khedive  had  given  this  important  order  in  consequence 
of  letters  that  I  had  written  on  August  31st,  1870,  to  the  Min- 
ister of  the  Interior,  Cherif  Pasha,  and  to  his  highness  direct  on 
October  8th,  1871,  in  which  communications  I  had  strenuously 
advocated  the  absolute  necessity  of  taking  the  work  in  hand,  with 
a  determination  to  re-establish  the  river  in  its  original  navigable 
condition. 

Ismail  Yagoob  Pasha  had  been  working  with  a  large  force,  and 
he  had  succeeded  in  clearing,  according  to  his  calculations,  one- 
half  of  the  obstruction,  which  extended  for  many  miles. 

37 


480 


ISMAILlA. 


There  was  no  actual  difficulty  in  the  undertaking,  which  was 
simply  a  matter  of  time  and  steady  labor. 

The  immense  force  of  the  main  stream,  thus  confined  by  mat- 
ted and  tangled  vegetation,  would  materially  assist  the  work,  as 
the  clearing  was  commenced  from  below  the  current.  The  work 
would  become  lighter  as  the  head  of  the  sudd  would  be  neared. 

A  curious  accident  had  happened  to  Ismail  Pasha  by  the  sud- 
den break-up  of  a  large  portion  of  the  sudd,  that  had  been  weak- 
ened by  cutting  a  long  but  narrow  channel. 

The  prodigious  rafts  of  vegetation  were  hurried  before  the 
stream  like  ice-floes,  and  these  masses  having  struck  against  a 
line  of  six  noggurs,  the  vessels  were  literally  swept  away  and 
buried  beneath  the  great  rafts,  until  they  capsized  and  disappear- 
ed forever  in  the  deep  channel. 

Late  in  the  evening  Ismail  Pasha  took  leave,  and  returned  in 
his  steamer  to  Khartoum.  We  had  enjoyed  a  long  conversation, 
and  I  felt  sure  that  the  Soudan  and  Central  Africa  would  quick- 
ly feel  the  benefit  of  Ismail  Yagoob  Pasha's  administration,  as  he 
combined  great  energy  and  determination,  with  nine  years'  ex- 
perience of  the  requirements  of  his  province. 

On  June  29th  the  new  steamer,  the  Khedive,  rounded  the  point 
at  full  speed,  with  our  diahbeeah  in  tow. 

All  the  population  of  Khartoum  thronged  to  the  banks  and 
the  new  quay  to  witness  the  arrival  of  the  extraordinary  steamer 
that  traveled  without  paddles,  and  which  had  been  constructed 
by  the  Englishmen  at  Ismailia  (Grondokoro). 

The  troops  were  in  order,  and  as  the  Khedive  drew  alongside 
the  quay  we  were  warmly  welcomed  by  Ismail  Yagoob  Pasha 
with  the  usual  formalities. 

A  few  days  later  a  steamer  arrived  from  Fashoda  with  the 
three  vessels  in  tow  belonging  to  Abou  Saood,  which  had  at- 
tempted to  pass  the  government  station  with  more  than  six  hun- 
dred slaves  on  board,  about  one  hundred  having  died  of  the 
small-pox  since  I  had  left  the  Bahr  Giraffe.  The  small-pox  was 
still  raging  on  board;  therefore  the  vessels  were  taken  to  the 
north  bank  of  the  Blue  Nile  and  placed  in  quarantine. 

As  the  guard  passed  by  the  prisoners,  I  recognized  my  friend 
the  vakeel,  Wat  Hojoly,  in  irons.  The  unfortunate  man  had 
found  a  new  governor  at  Fashoda,  instead  of  his  old  acquaintance ; 
thus  he  did  not  pass  free,  as  I  had  anticipated. 

Walking  next  to  the  vakeel,  heavily  ironed,  with  his  wrists 
secured  in  a  block  of  wood  similar  to  stocks,  came  the  cream  of 
ruffian?,  Sal  im- Wat- How  ah,  nailed  at  lost. 


IMPROVEMENTS. 


481 


This  villainous-looking  fellow  was  afterward  tried  before  the 
medjeldis,  or  tribunal,  and,  by  overpowering  evidence,  he  was 
found  guilty  of  having  first  threatened  to  attack  Major  Abdullah 
in  the  government  camp  of  Fatiko ;  and,  secondly,  with  having 
actually  given  the  orders  to  fire,  and  having  fired  himself  on  Au- 
gust 2d,  1872,  when  we  had  been  treacherously  attacked  by  Abou 
Saood's  company. 

I  spoke  in  favor  of  Wat  Hdjoly,  as  he  had  otherwise  behaved 
well  toward  the  government,  and  he  was  simply  carrying  out  the 
orders  of  his  master,  Abou  Saood. 

It  had  been  the  usual  custom  in  the  Soudan  to  spare  the  em- 
ployers, who  were  the  most  responsible  parties,  but  to  punish 
the  small  fry,  such  as  vakeels,  and  the  reis,  or  captains  of  ves- 
sels. 

Ismail  Pasha  had  made  great  improvements  in  Khartoum,  and 
he  had  completed  the  new  government  house  that  had  been  com- 
menced by  his  predecessor,  Moomtazz  Pasha,  who  was  also  a 
most  intelligent  Circassian.  He  had  likewise  made  a  great  change 
by  converting  a  large  open  space  into  a  public  garden,  where  it 
was  his  intention  that  the  military  band  should  play  every  even- 
ing for  the  amusement  of  the  people. 

Steam  irrigation  works  were  also  commenced  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Blue  Nile  for  the  cultivation  of  cotton. 

After  a  few  days  at  Khartoum,  we  took  leave  of  our  good 
friend,  Ismail  Yagoob  Pasha,  and  started  for  Cairo  by  steamer. 

I  had  left  my  two  boys,  Saat  and  Bellaal,  with  Ismail  Pasha, 
to  be  instructed  either  as  musicians  or  soldiers,  the  latter  profes- 
sion being  their  great  ambition.  There  was  already  a  school  es- 
tablished for  the  education  of  the  more  intelligent  negro  boys 
that  might  be  liberated  from  the  slave-traders. 

Upon  our  arrival  at  Berber,  I  found  a  considerable  improve- 
ment in  the  country.  The  Arabs  were  beginning  to  return  to 
the  fertile  banks  of  the  river,  and  to  rebuild  their  sakeeyahs,  or 
water-wheels.  This  change  was  the  result  of  a  wise  reform  in- 
stituted by  the  Khedive,  in  dividing  the  Soudan  into  provinces, 
each  of  which  would  be  governed  by  a  responsible  and  independ- 
ent official,  instead  of  serving  under  a  governor -general  at  the 
distance  of  Khartoum. 

Hussein  Khalifah  was  now  the  governor  of  Berber.  He  was 
the  great  Arab  sheik  of  the  desert,  who  had  so  ably  assisted  Mr. 
Higginbotham  in  transporting  the  machinery  and  steamer  sec- 
tions by  camels  from  Korosko  to  Berber,  across  the  great  Nubian 
desert,  for  a  distance  of  about  four  hundred  miles.    The  Arabs 


ISMAILlA. 


were  much  pleased  at  his  appointment  as  governor,  as  he  was 
one  of  their  race. 

In  starting  from  Berber  for  Souakim,  I  had  the  great  misfor- 
tune to  lose  bj  death  one  of  my  excellent  Englishmen,  David 
Samson.  He  had  been  ailing  for  some  time,  and  the  intense 
heat  of  July  was  more  than  he  could  endure  in  riding  across  the 
desert.  Poor  Samson  died  on  the  first  day's  march,  and  I  had 
his  body  conveyed  to  Berber,  where  it  was  buried  in  the  Coptic 
cemetery  with  every  mark  of  respect. 

This  was  a  sad  termination  after  a  journey  of  nearly  four  years 
and  a  half,  when  he  was  on  the  hopeful  road  toward  home. 

We  were  nearly  wrecked  during  the  voyage  from  Souakim  to 
Suez,  as  the  engine  of  the  sloop  of  war  was  out  of  repair.  We 
then  changed  to  another  steamer,  which  carried  away  the  cap  of 
her  rudder  during  a  heavy  sea  and  fresh  northerly  gale.  Fortu- 
nately our  English  shipwrights  were  on  board,  and  Lieutenant 
Baker,  R  N.,  knew  his  work ;  thus  we  escaped  drowning  on  a 
coral  reef,  which  would  assuredly  have  been  our  fate  had  we 
been  left  to  the  ignorance  of  the  officers  and  crew. 

We  reached  Cairo  on  August  24th,  at  4.30  p.m.  On  the  25th 
I  had  the  honor  of  presenting  myself  to  his  highness  the  Khe- 
dive, to  explain  the  large  chart  of  his  new  territory  that  I  had 
annexed  in  Central  Africa. 

I  received  from  his  highness  the  Imperial  order  of  the  Os- 
manie,  second  class,  as  a  token  of  his  approbation  of  my  services. 
I  had  already  had  the  honor  to  accept  from  his  hands  the  order 
of  the  Medjidie,  second  class,  before  I  had  started  upon  my  mis- 
sion. His  highness  the  Khedive  now  conferred  upon  Lieutenant 
Baker  the  order  of  the  Medjidie,  third  class. 

I  handed  the  botanical  collection  to  his  highness  the  Khedive, 
which  had  been  carefully  prepared  throughout  the  journey  by 
Lady  Baker.  Unfortunately,  more  than  three  hundred  speci- 
mens of  plants  had  been  destroyed  by  the  conflagration  at  Masin- 
di.  The  botanical  specimens,  together  with  samples  of  the  fibres, 
skins,  and  the  salt  of  the  new  territory,  were  ordered  to  be  for- 
warded to  the  Vienna  Exhibition. 

The  Khedive  expressed  his  determination  to  judge  Abou 
Saood  by  a  special  tribunal,  composed  of  Cherif  Pasha,  Nubar 
Pasha,  and  Ismail  Pasha,  the  Minister  of  Finance.  I  handed  sev- 
enteen documents  to  Nubar  Pasha,  with  evidence  sworn  to  upon 
the  Koran  before  witnesses,  and  properly  sealed  by  Wat-el-Mek, 
Suleiman,  the  sheiks  of  the  country,  Major  Abdullah,  and  others, 
against  Abou  Saood,  charging  him  with  various  crimes,  includ- 


OFFICIAL  DOCUMENTS. 


483 


ing  treason  in  having  given  the  orders  that  his  Fatiko  company 
should  fire  at  me  and  the  government  troops.  I  took  a  receipt 
for  these  important  documents. 

I  had  also  brought  up  several  of  the  "Forty  Thieves"  as  viva 
voce  witnesses,  in  addition  to  Lieutenant  Baker,  K.  N.,  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  Captain  Mohammed  Deii,  and  two  serv- 
ants, Suleiman  and  Mohammed  Haroon.  Thus  all  the  evidence 
was  in  official  order :  • 

1.  26th  Jumay  Owal,  1289,  report  of  Major  Abdullah  (com- 
mandant of  Fatiko),  threatening  conduct  of  Abou  Saood's  va- 
keels during  my  absence. 

2.  28th  Jumay  Owal,  1289,  the  declaration  of  the  regimental 
officers  at  Fort  Fatiko. 

3.  October  6th,  1872,  1st  Shaban,  1289,  the  declaration  of  the 
vakeels  of  Abou  Saood  (Wat-el-Mek  and  Suleiman),  that  they 
had  acted  according  to  orders  received  from  Abou  Saood. 

4.  26th  Jumay  Owal,  1289,  Major  Abdullah's  declaration 
against  Abou  Saood  and  his  company  at  Fatiko. 

5.  12th  Jumay  Ocher,  1289,  declaration  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
country,  complaining  of  the  kidnaping  of  women  and  children, 
massacres,  etc.,  committed  by  Abou  Saood  and  his  companies. 

6.  Declaration  of  Abou  Saood's  men,  containing  declarations 
of  Mohammed,  Wat-el-Mek,  and  Besheer  Achmet,  that  Abou 
Saood  gave  the  order  to  fire  at  the  Pasha  and  the  government 
troops.    Two  large  papers. 

7.  29th  Jumay  Owal,  1289,  letter  from  Abou  Saood  from 
Fabbo. 

8.  29th  Rebi  Owal,  1289,  Major  Abdullah's  reasons  for  not  de- 
taining Suleiman,  and  for  not  arresting  Abou  Saood. 

9.  2d  Jumay  Acher,  1289,  letter  from  Abou  Saood,  Fatiko. 

10.  29th  Jumay  Owal,  1289,  order  for  confiscation  of  Fatiko 
after  the  attack  made  upon  the  troops. 

11.  Letter  from  officers  of  Fabbo. 

12.  4th  Regeb,  1289,  report  of  Abou  Saood's  escape  with  gov- 
ernment guns,  etc. 

13.  22d  Jumay  Acher,  1289,  letter  from  vakeel  Suleiman, 
Fabbo. 

14.  November  3d,  1872,  proces-verbal ;  declaration  of  Suleiman 
and  Abou  Saood's  people. 

15.  1st  Shaban,  October  6th,  1873,  copy  of  orders  to  Wat-el- 
Mek. 

16.  Mohammed  the  dragoman's  declaration. 

17.  Wal-el-Mek's  declaration  that  he  and  his  people  were  al-- 


4S4 


ISMAILlA. 


ways  paid  by  Abou  Saood  in  slaves,  and  that  the  conduct  of  the 
stations  was  according  to  his  orders;  also,  that  he  had  obeyed 
Abou  Saood's  orders  in  attacking  me  at  Fatiko. 

I  insisted  upon  appearing  personally  as  accuser  against  Abou 
Saood,  but  I  was  begged  to  return  to  England,  and  to  confide  him 
to  the  hands  of  the  authorities,  as  his  highness  declined  to  bring 
him  before  the  public  tribunal. 

His  highness  the  Khedive  had  the  kindness  to  confer  promotion 
upon  my  faithful  officer,  Lieutenant-colonel  Abd-el-Kader,  to  the 
rank  of  kaimakam,  and  Captain  Mohammed  Deii  to  the  rank  of 
saccolassi.  He  also  granted  a  reward  to  the  soldiers  who  had 
fought  the  battle  of  Masindi,  and  marched  through  eight  days  of 
ambuscades  to  Foweera. 

A  gratuity  of  a  month's  pay  was  given  to  every  English  engi- 
neer and  mechanic,  and  they  started  for  England. 

After  a  delay  of  about  six  weeks  in  Egypt,  his  highness  afford- 
ed us  a  gracious  and  hospitable  occasion  of  taking  leave  of  him- 
self and  the  young  princes,  to  all  of  whom  I  am  indebted  for 
much  courtesy  and  kindness. 


CHANGE  OF  OFFICIALS. 


4H5 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  foregoing  chapters  will  have  afforded  a  sufficiently  distinct 
view  of  the  expedition  to  enable  the  public  to  form  their  own 
opinion  of  the  position  of  the  slave-trade. 

It  will  have  been  seen  that  I  had  acted  directly  against  that 
infamous  traffic  from  the  commencement  of  the  work,  according 
to  the  explicit  instructions  of  my  firman  ;  at  the  same  time  I  had 
made  due  allowances  for  the  ambiguous  position  of  the  traders 
upon  the  White  Nile,  who  were  actual  tenants  of  the  government. 
Thus  I  never  visited  the  interior  of  their  camps,  nor  had  I  dis- 
turbed their  stations  in  any  way,  but  I  had  passed  them  as  with- 
out the  pale  of  my  jurisdiction ;  at  the  same  time  I  gave  the  va- 
keels due  warning,  and  entirely  prevented  them  from  making- 
use  of  the  river  as  the  highway  of  the  slave-trade. 

In  1870,  while  I  was  camped  at  Tewflkeeyah,  I  entirely  sup- 
pressed the  river  traffic;  but  the  fact  of  my  having  overtaken 
three  vessels  with  seven  hundred  slaves  belonging  to  Abou  Saoocl 
at  the  close  of  the  expedition,  on  my  return  toward  Khartoum, 
must  be  a  damning  proof  of  complicity  on  the  part  of  certain  gov- 
ernment officials. 

Thus.it  is  plain  that,  while  I  was  endeavoring  to  do  my  duty, 
others  who  should  have  been  supporting  me  were  actually  sup- 
porting the  slave-hunters.  No  people  could  have  had  the  absurd 
audacity  to  attempt  the  passage  of  the  river  in  front  of  Fashoda 
— a  government  station,  garrisoned  by  two  regiments,  and  pro- 
vided with  two  steamers — unless  they  were  in  league  with  the 
officials. 

My  personal  interference  has  rendered  the  slave-trade  of  the 
White  Nile  impossible  so  long  as  the  government  is  determined 
that  it  shall  be  impossible.  At  the  close  of  the  expedition,  the 
higher  officials  had  been  changed,  and  the  country  appeared  to 
be  in  good  hands.  The  Governor  of  Fashoda,  Jusef  Effendi,  had 
captured  the  slave-vessels  of  Abou  Saood,  according  to  my  in- 
structions; Ismail  Yagoob  Pasha  had  been  appointed  governor 
of  Khartoum  ;  Hussein  Khalifah,  the  Arab  desert  sheik,  was  gov- 
ernor of  Berber;  and  various  important  changes  had  been  made 


486 


ISMAILIA. 


among  the  higher  authorities  throughout  the  Soudan,  which  proved 
that  the  Khedive  was  determined  upon  reform. 

One  grand  and  sweeping  reform  was  absolutely  necessary  to 
extinguish  the  slave-trade  of  Central  Africa,  and  this  I  had  the 
honor  to  suggest:  "That  all  the  present  existing  traders  or  ten- 
ants of  the  White  Kile  should  be  expelled  from  the  country,  pre- 
cisely as  I  had  expelled  them  from  the  territory  under  my  com- 
mand." The  government  would  then  assume  the  monopoly  of 
the  ivory  trade  of  the  White  Kile,  and  the  natives  would  in  a 
few  years  be  restored  to  confidence. 

So  long  as  the  so-called  traders  of  Khartoum  should  be  per- 
mitted to  establish  themselves  as  independent  piratical  societies 
in  the  Kile  Basin,  the  slave-trade  would  continue,  and  the  road 
through  Darfur  and  Kordofan  would  be  adopted  in  place  of  the 
tabooed  White  Kile. 

Should  the  White  Kile  companies  be  totally  disbanded,  the 
people  now  engaged  must  return  to  their  original  agricultural 
pursuits  in  the  Soudan,  and  their  labor  would  tend  to  an  increase 
of  the  revenue,  and  to  the  general  prosperity  of  the  country. 

I  have  already  published  so  much  on  the  subject  of  the  slave- 
trade  in  "  The  Albert  K'yanza,"  that  I  fear  to  repeat  what  I  have 
before  so  forcibly  expressed.  I  have  never  changed  my  original 
opinions  on  this  question,  and  I  can  only  refer  the  public  to  page 
313,  vol.  iL,  of  that  work,  whence  I  take  the  following  extract: 
"Stop  the  White  Kile  trade;  prohibit  the  departure  of  any  ves- 
sels from  Khartoum  to  the  south,  and  let  the  Egyptian  govern- 
ment grant  a  concession  to  a  company  for  the  White  Kile,  sub- 
ject to  certain  conditions,  and  to  a  special  supervision  

"Should  the  slave-trade  be  suppressed,  there  will  be  a  good 
opening  for  the  ivory  trade  ;  the  conflicting  trading  parties  being 
withdrawn,  and  the  interest  of  the  trade  exhibited  by  a  single 
company,  the  natives  would  no  longer  be  able  to  barter  ivorj-  for 
cattle;  thus  they  would  be  forced  to  accept  other  goods  in  ex- 
change. The  newly-discovered  Albert  lake  opens  the  centre  of 
Africa  to  navigation.  Steamers  ascend  from  Khartoum  to  Gon- 
dokoro  in  lat.  <i°  55'.  Seven  days'  march  south  of  that  station 
the  navigable  portion  of  the  Kile  is  reached,  whence  vessels  can 
ascend  direct  to  the  Albert  lake;  thus  an  enormous  extent  of 
country  is  opened  to  navigation,  and  Manchester  goods  and  va- 
rious other  articles  would  find  a  ready  market  in  exchange  for 
ivory  at  a  prodigious  profit ;  as  in  those  newly-discovered  regions 
ivory  has  a  merely  nominal  value. 

"  Beyond  this  commencement  of  honest  trade  I  can  not  offer  a 


MISSIOXARY  WORE. 


487 


suggestion,  as  no  produce  of  the  country  except  ivory  could  af- 
ford the  expense  of  transport  to  Europe.* 

"If  Africa  is  to  be  civilized,  it  must  be  effected  by  commerce, 
which,  once  established,  will  open  the  way  for  missionary  labor; 
but  all  ideas  of  commerce,  improvement,  and  the  advancement 
of  the  African  race  that  philanthropy  can  suggest,  must  be  dis- 
carded until  the  traffic  in  slaves  shall  have  ceased  to  exist. 

"Should  the  slave-trade  be  suppressed,  a  field  would  be  open- 
ed, the  extent  of  which  I  will  not  attempt  to  suggest,  as  the  future 
would  depend  upon  the  good  government  of  countries  now  de- 
voted to  savage  anarchy  and  confusion."  .... 

"  Difficult  and  almost  impossible  is  the  task  before  the  mission- 
ary. The  Austrian  mission  has  failed,  and  their  stations  have 
been  forsaken ;  their  pious  labor  was  helpless,  and  the  devoted 
priests  died  upon  their  barren  field." 

By  a  reference  to  that  work  also,  "  The  Albert  N'yanza,"  it 
will  be  seen  that  in  the  present  expedition  I  carried  out  the  plans 
that  I  had  proposed  at  the  termination  of  my  first  journey. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  missionaries  will  take  advantage  of  the 
change  that  has  resulted  from  the  suppression  of  the  slave-trade 
and  the  establishment  of  a  government.  At  the  same  time, 
should  they  attempt  a  settlement  in  the  neighborhood  of  Gondo- 
koro,  they  must  be  prepared  with  an  inexhaustible  stock  of  pa- 
tience when  dealing  with  the  Baris. 

The  Madi  and  Shooli  tribes  would  be  found  tractable,  and 
more  capable  of  religious  instruction.  It  is  my  opinion  that  the 
time  has  not  yet  arrived  for  missionary  enterprise  in  those  coun- 
tries; but  at  the  same  time  a  sensible  man  might  do  good  service 
by  living  among  the  natives,  and  proving  to  their  material  minds 
that  persons  do  exist  whose  happiness  consists  in  doing  good  to 
others.  The  personal  qualifications  and  outfit  for  a  single  man 
who  would  thus  settle  among  the  natives  should  be  various.  If 
he  wished  to  secure  their  attention  and  admiration,  he  should  ex- 
cel as  a  rifle  shot  and  sportsman.  If  musical,  he  should  play  the 
Highland  bagpipes.  He  should  be  clever  as  a  conjurer,  and  be 
well  provided  with  conjuring  tricks,  together  with  a  magic  lan- 
tern, magnetic  battery,  dissolving  views,  photographic  apparatus, 
colored  pictorial  illustrations,  etc.,  etc.  He  should  be  a  good 
surgeon  and  general  doctor,  etc.,  and  be  well  supplied  with  drugs, 
remembering  that  natives  have  a  profound  admiration  for  medical 
skill. 


*  The  proposed  railway  from  Cairo  to  Khartoum  will  overcome  this  obstacle. 


488 


ISMAILlA. 


A  man  who  in  full  Highland  dress  could  at  any  time  collect 
an  audience  by  playing  a  lively  air  with  the  bagpipes,  would  be 
regarded  with  great  veneration  by  the  natives,  and  would  be  list- 
ened to  when  an  archbishop  by  his  side  would  be  totally  disre- 
garded. He  should  set  all  psalms  to  lively  tunes,  and  the  na- 
tives would  learn  to  sing  them  immediately.  Devotional  exer- 
cises should  be  chiefly  musical. 

In  this  manner  a  man  would  become  a  general  favorite;  and 
if  he  had  a  never-failing  supply  of  beads,  copper  rods,  brass  rings 
for  arms,  fingers,  and  ears,  gaudy  cotton  handkerchiefs,  red  or 
blue  blankets,  zinc  mirrors,  red  cotton  shirts,  etc.,  to  give  to  his 
parishioners,  and  expected  nothing  in  return,  he  would  be  con- 
sidered a  great  man,  whose  opinion  would  carry  a  considerable 
weight,  provided  that  he  only  spoke  of  subjects  which  he  thor- 
oughly understood. 

A  knowledge  of  agriculture,  with  a  good  stock  of  seeds  of  use- 
ful vegetables  and  cereals,  iron  hoes,  carpenters'  and  blacksmiths' 
tools,  and  the  power  of  instructing  others  in  their  use,  together 
with  a  plentiful  supply  of  very  small  axes,  would  be  an  immense 
recommendation  to  a  lay  missionary  who  should  determine  to  de- 
vote some  years  of  his  life  to  the  improvement  of  the  natives. 

In  the  magnificent  equatorial  portions  of  Africa  there  is  a  great 
field  for  British  enterprise ;  and  much  might  be  accomplished  by 
lay  missionaries,  who  would  at  the  commencement  avoid  theolog- 
ical teaching,  until  by  other  means  they  should  have  gained  an 
ascendency  over  the  minds  of  the  natives.  By  slow  degrees  con- 
fidence might  be  established ;  and  much  may  be  effected  by  good 
example  

The  geography  of  Central  Africa,  that  has  made  great  strides 
within  the  last  few  years,  will  now  be  rapidly  extended.  The 
fact  of  an  established  government  under  the  direction  of  my  able 
successor,  Colonel  Gordon,  R  E.,  is  sufficient  to  assure  the  most 
skeptical  that  the  future  will  be  rich  in  geographical  discoveries. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  steamer  which  I  carried  up  to  Gondokoro 
will  be  transported  to  the  Albert  N'yanza  early  in  the  year  1875. 
It  is  impossible  to  foretell  the  result  of  steam  communication  on 
the  great  inland  sea,  M'wootan  N'zige. 

I  do  not  love  to  dwell  upon  geographical  theories,  as  I  believe 
in  nothing  but  actual  observation ;  but  I  can  not  quite  disbelieve 
my  native  informants,  who  assured  me  that  they  had  traveled  to 
Ujiji  by  canoe  from  Chibero,  on  the  Albert  N'yanza. 

By  the  latest  intelligence  from  Lieutenant  Cameron,  dated 
Ujiji,  February  28th,  1874,  the  mean  of  many  observations  for 


EXPLORATION  AND  ANNEXATION 


489 


altitude  of  the  Tanganyika  lake,  taken  with  mercurial  barometer, 
aneroids,  and  boiling-water  thermometers,  gives  2573  feet  above 
the  sea-level. 

The  corrected  altitude  of  the  Albert  N'yanza,  taken  by  me  at 
Yacovia,  N.  lat.  1°  14',  March  14th,  1864,  is  2720.  The  uncor- 
rected or  the  absolute  observation  of  the  instrument  was  2448. 

Whenever  Lieutenant  Cameron  shall  return  home,  it  will  be 
interesting  to  observe  the  results  of  his  corrected  observations, 
as  they  already  so  closely  approach  the  level  of  the  Albert 
N'yanza. 

As  the  Khedive's  expedition  under  Colonel  Gordon  will 
shortly  have  the  advantage  of  a  steamer  on  the  Albert  lake  or 
M'wootan  N'zige,  the  question  of  a  connection  between  the  two 
lakes  will  be  definitely  settled. 

When  that  question  shall  have  been  resolved,  geographers 
must  turn  their  attention  to  the  great  river  Sobat,  which  is  by 
far  the  most  important  affluent  of  the  Nile. 

Although  during  my  recent  expedition  I  have  not  traveled 
over  much  new  ground,  the  advantages  to  geography  are  con- 
siderable, owing  to  the  professional  observations  of  Lieutenant 
Baker,  K.  N.,  to  whom  I  confided  the  entire  charge  of  the  topo- 
graphical department.  Some  slight  corrections  have  been  made 
in  observations  for  longitude  taken  during  my  first  expedition ; 
and  as  every  place  is  now  rigidly  attested  on  the  map,  that  por- 
tion of  Central  Africa  is  most  thoroughly  investigated,  and  the 
astronomical  positions  of  all  principal  points  and  stations  are  in- 
contestable. 

The  fact  of  this  thorough  exploration,  and  the  establishment 
of  the  Egyptian  government,  now  afford  a  firm  base  for  all  future 
travelers.  The  good  work  of  one  man  can  be  carried  on  by  his 
successor.  Formerly  it  was  impossible  to  render  the  necessary 
support  to  an  explorer  in  Central  Africa.  A  distant  country  can 
not  plunge  into  war  with  a  savage  potentate  of  the  equatorial 
Nile  Basin  because  he  has  either  captured  an  explorer  or  devour- 
ed a  missionary. 

There  was  only  one  step  practicable,  if  the  improvement  of 
Africa  were  to  be  attempted.  Egypt  was  the  only  country  that 
could  form  a  government  by  the  extension  of  her  frontier  to  the 
equator.  This  would  insure  the  safety  of  future  travelers  where 
hitherto  the  life  of  an  individual  had  no  guarantee. 

This  annexation  is  now  effected,  and  our  relations  with  the 
Khedive  assure  us  that  the  heart  of  Africa  will  be  thrown  open 
to  the  civilizing  influence  of  the  North. 


ISMAILlA. 


When  the  railway  shall  be  completed  from  Cairo  to  Khar- 
toum, there  will  be  direct  communication  by  rail  and  river. 
Countries  that  are  eminently  adapted  for  the  cultivation  of  cot- 
ton, coffee,  sugar,  and  other  tropical  productions  will  be  brought 
within  the  influence  of  the  commercial  world;  and  the  natives, 
no  longer  kidnaped  and  torn  from  their  homes,  will  feel  the  ben- 
efits of  industry,  as  they  now  feel  the  blessings  of  protection. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  greatest  difficulties  lie  in  the  first 
footsteps  of  a  great  enterprise;  but  those  difficulties  are  over- 
come, and  patience  and  perseverance  will  at  length  perfect  the 
good  work.  The  impression  of  civilization  must  be  gradually 
and  slowly  engraved  upon  Central  Africa,  and  those  wTho  work 
in  this  apparently  hopeless  undertaking  must  not  be  appalled  by 
the  difficulties  of  the  task. 

In  the  share  that  I  have  taken  during  nine  years  passed  in 
Africa,  I  have  simply  represented  one  of  those  atoms  of  which 
Great  Britain  is  composed.  I  deeply  regret  that  personally  I 
have  not  had  the  honor  of  serving  my  queen,  but  I  trust  that  in- 
directly I  have  worked  out  that  principle,  which  England  was 
the  first  to  initiate,  expressed  in  the  word  "  Freedom,"  which,  we 
maintain,  is  the  natural  inheritance  of  man. 

Mingled  with  the  regret  that  I  was  not  in  the  service  of  her 
majesty,  is  the  pleasure  that  I  feel  in  testifying  to  the  able  man- 
ner in  which  the  Eoyal  Navy  was  represented,  throughout  a  long 
and  trying  expedition,  by  Lieutenant  Julian  Alleyne  Baker,  E.  N. 
This  energetic  young  officer  rendered  me  the  greatest  assistance, 
and  has  left  a  vivid  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  natives,  and 
of  the  Egyptian  troops,  of  the  activity,  and  the  straightforward, 
manly  character  that  has  always  distinguished  British  sailors  in 
whatever  duty  they  have  had  to  perform,  whether  on  sea  or  land. 

I  return  my  acknowledgments  of  the  faithful  and  courageous 
services  of  Lieutenant -colonel  Abd  -  el  -  Kader,  and  other  officers 
who  accompanied  me  through  every  difficulty  with  patience  and 
devotion. 

I  also  thank  Mr.  Marcopolo,  my  intelligent  and  trustworthy 
secretary  and  chief  store-keeper,  at  the  same  time  that  I  acknowl- 
edge the  services  of  those  industrious  English  engineers  and  me- 
chanics who  so  thoroughly  supported  the  well-known  reputation 
of  their  class  by  a  determination  to  succeed  in  every  work  that 
was  undertaken.  Their  new  steamer,  the  Khedive,  remains  upon 
the  White  Nile,  an  example  of  their  energy  and  capability. 

Lastly,  I  must  acknowledge  the  able  assistance  that  I  have  re- 
ceived, in  common  with  every  person  connected  with  the  inland 


ALLIANCE   WITH  WT£s£. 


491 


expedition,  from  my  wife,  who  cared  for  the  sick  when  we  were 
without  a  medical  man,  and  whose  gentle  aid  brought  comfort 
to  many  whose  strength  might  otherwise  have  failed.  During 
a  period  of  fourteen  months,  with  a  detachment  of  two  hundred 
and  twelve  officers  and  men,  exclusive  of  many  servants  and 
camp-followers,  I  only  lost  one  man  from  sickness,  and  he  was  at 
an  out-station. 

In  moments  of  doubt  and  anxiety  she  was  always  a  thoughtful 
and  wise  counselor,  and  much  of  my  success  through  nine  long 
years  passed  in  Africa  is  due  to  my  devoted  companion. 

The  foundation  for  a  great  future  has  been  laid  :  a  remote  por- 
tion of  the  African  race  hitherto  excluded  from  the  world's  his- 
tory has  been  brought  into  direct  communication  with  the  supe- 
rior and  more  civilized  races ;  legitimate  trade  has  been  opened ; 
therefore,  accepting  commerce  as  the  great  agent  of  civilization, 
the  work  is  actually  in  progress. 

Fortified  posts  extend  to  within  two  degrees  of  the  equator. 
The  alliance  with  M'tese,  the  king  of  Uganda,  enabled  me  not 
only  to  communicate  by  letter  (addressed  to  Livingstone)  in  the 
distant  country  of  Unyamyembe,  but  a  reply  was  sent  by  Lieu- 
tenant Cameron,  together  with  large  presents  of  ivory,  to  me  at 
Gondokoro,*  as  I  have  been  informed  by  a  letter  from  Colonel 
Gordon. 

The  Khedive  of  Egypt,  having  appointed  Colonel  Gordon,  R.E., 
has  proved  his  determination  to  continue  the  work  that  was  com- 
menced under  so  many  difficulties.  The  Nile  has  been  opened 
to  navigation ;  and  if  the  troubles  that  I  encountered  and  over- 
came shall  have  smoothed  the  path  for  my  able  and  energetic 
successor,  I  shall  have  been  well  rewarded. 

The  first  steps  in  establishing  the  authority  of  a  new  govern- 
ment in  a  tribe  hitherto  savage  and  intractable  were,  of  necessitj^, 
accompanied  by  military  operations.  War  is  inseparable  from 
annexation,  and  the  law  of  force,  resorted  to  in  self-defense,  was 
absolutely  indispensable  to  prove  the  superiority  of  the  power 
that  was  eventually  to  govern.    The  end  justified  the  means. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  expedition  I  felt  that  the  object 
of  the  enterprise,  "the  suppression  of  the  slave-trade,"  was  one 
for  which  I  could  confidently  ask  a  blessing. 

A  firm  belief  in  Providential  support  has  not  been  unrewarded. 
In  the  midst  of  sickness  and  malaria  we  had  strength ;  from  acts 
of  treachery  we  were  preserved  unharmed  ;  in  personal  encounters 


*  The  letter  and  the  ivory  from  M'tese'  were  received  by  Colonel  Gordon. 


492 


ISMAILIA. 


we  remained  unscathed.  In  the  end,  every  opposition  was  over- 
come ;  hatred  and  insubordination  yielded  to  discipline  and  order. 
A  paternal  government  extended  its  protection  through  lands 
hitherto  a  field  for  anarchy  and  slavery.  The  territory  within 
my  rule  was  purged  from  the  slave-trade.  The  natives  of  the 
great  Shooli  tribe,  relieved  from  their  oppressors,  clung  to  the 
protecting  government.  The  White  Nile,  for  a  distance  of  six- 
teen hundred  miles  from  Khartoum  to  Central  Africa,  was  cleansed 
from  the  abomination  of  a  traffic  which  had  hitherto  sullied  its 
waters. 

Every  cloud  had  passed  away,  and  the  term  of  my  office  ex- 
pired in  peace  and  sunshine.  In  this  result  I  humbly  traced 
God's  blessing. 

FINIS. 

After  my  departure  from  Egypt,  Abou  Saood  was  released,  and 
was  appointed  assistant  to  my  successor. 


APPENDIX. 


The  fact  quoted  at  the  end  of  the  concluding  chapter  respecting  the  release 
of  Abou  Saood  became  known  to  me  when  the  manuscript  was  almost  com- 
pleted. The  astonishment  that  I  felt  will  doubtless  be  shared  by  the  public, 
who  will  draw  their  own  conclusions.  ^ 

It  is  useless  to  shut  the  eyes  to  the  support  thus  openly  given  to  the  great- 
est slave-hunter  of  the  White  Nile. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  refer  to  the  instructions  that  I  had  received  from 
the  Khedive  in  the  firman  which  granted  me  the  necessary  powers  for  the 
command  : 

"  Considering  the  savage  state  of  the  people  who  inhabit  the  countries  of 
the  White  Nile ; 

"  Considering  that  neither  government,  nor  law,  nor  security  exists  in  those 
countries ; 

"  Considering  that  humanity  necessitates  the  suppression  of  the  slave-hunt- 
ers, who  are  to  be  found  there  in  great  numbers,  etc.,  etc  " 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  firman  commences  with  an  admission  that  the 
tribes  are  savage,  that  no  security  exists,  and  that  the  slave-hnnters  are  in 
great  numbers. 

The  curious  anomaly  is  presented,  that  "  the  slave-hunters  who  are  to  be 
found  there  in  great  numbers"  were  all  subjects  and  tenants  of  the  Egyptian 
aorernment !  Thus  the  government  expedition  under  my  command  was  to 
suppress  the  Arab  companies  who  farmed  the  right  of  trading  by  au  annual 
rent  paid  to  the  governor-general  of  the  Soudan. 

Without  any  exception,  every  White  Nile  trader  was  a  tenant  of  the  Sou- 
dan government :  thus  the  government  was  in  the  position  of  a  participator 
in  illegal  profits. 

This  painful  fact,  coupled  with  the  positive  instructions  that  I  had  re- 
ceived, will  account  for  the  intrigues  and  opxx>sition  of  the  Egyptian  public. 
My  orders,  signed  by  the  Khedive,  continue  thus: 

"An  expedition  is  organized  to  subdue  to  our  authority  the  countries  sit- 
uated to  the  south  of  Gondokoro  ; 

"  To  suppress  the  hunting  of  slares,"  etc.,  etc. 

I  was  thus  commanded  to  annex  the  country  which  was  already  farmed 
out  to  slave-hunters !  and  "  to  suppress  the  hunting  of  slaves,"  which  was 
to  ruin  the  tenants  of  the  government ! 

Is  it  possible  to  conceive  a  greater  anomaly,  or  a  house  more  completely 
divided  against  itself? 

I  do  not  attempt  to  explain  this  apparently  hopeless  mystery.  We  have  to 
search  somewhere  for  sincerity. 

If  the  slave-traders  had  been  punished  by  the  government  at  the  close  of 


494 


A 1' I' KM)  IX. 


the  expedition,  the  effect  upon  the  White  Nile  companies  would  have  been 
positive.  Instead  of  this,  we  find  that,  after  a  long  expedition  to  suppress 
the  hunting  of  slaves,  the  chief  slave-trader,  Abou  Saood,  remains  in  the  as- 
cendant ! 

Since  the  completion  of  my  manuscript,  I  have  heard  that  the  slave-trade 
of  the  White  Nile  revived  after  my  departure  from  the  country!  We  have 
seen  that  I  overtook  three  vessels,  with  seven  hundred  slaves,  on  the  return 
voyage,  that  were  about  to  pass  Fashoda.  The  re-appearance  of  the  slave- 
trade  since  my  departure  is  an  unquestionable  proof  that,  in  spite  of  the  Khe- 
dive's orders,  the  authorities  are  determined  to  uphold  this  abominable  traf- 
fic ;  and  I  refer  with  regret  to  page  312,  in  vol.  ii.  of  "  The  Albert  N'yanza:" 

"Egypt  is  in  favor  of  slavery,  I  have  never  seen  a  government  official 
who  did  not  in  argument  uphold  slavery  as  an  institution  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  Egypt." 

This  was  written  in  1800,  and  the  fact  is  corroborated  in  1874. 

In  the  career  of  Abou  Saood,  it  will  have  been  seen  that  he  is  first  intro- 
duced as  a  tenant  of  the  Soudan  government,  who  farmed  the  right  of  trading 
(i.  e.f  slave-trading)  from  the  Soudan  governor,  who  had  no  rigid  to  any  lands 
upon  the  White  Nile  beyond  the  Shillook. 

Thus  the  Soudan  government  and  the  slave-trader  are  discovered  in  close 
connection  at  the  opening  of  the  book,  sharing  profits  from  the  spoil  of  a  coun- 
try that  belonged  to  neither. 

The  second  appearance  is  the  arrival  of  Abou  Saood  at  Gondokoro  with 
fourteen  hundred  head  of  cattle,  which  he  had  capturM,  in  defiance  of  my 
authority,  from  the  Shir  tribe.  This  act  caused  the  massacre  of  the  govern- 
ment detachment  at  the  Shir  station. 

The  third  appearance  is  in  the  capture  of  three  vessels  belonging  to  Abou 
Saood,  with  six  hundred  slaves,  on  the  way  from  his  Bohr  station  toward 
Khartoum,  at  the  close  of  the  expedition. 

The  last  appearance  is  the  appointment  of  Abou  Saood  to  a  post  in  the 
present  expedition ! 

Thus  the  great  slaver  of  the  White  Nile  is  rewarded. 

In  spite  of  the  assurance  that  I  received  from  the  Khedive  and  from  Nubar 
Pasha  that  he  should  be  fairly  judged  upon  the  evidence  that  I  produced,  the 
prisoner  was  released. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  Abou  Saood  may  succeed  Colonel  Gordon  in  the 
command  of  the  expedition  to  "  suppress  the  slave-trade."  The  government 
may  require  black  troops  for  the  army.  The  new  territory  has  added  some 
millions  of  subjects  to  the  Khedive;  these  will  be  liable  to  the  law  of  con- 
scription. Abou  Saood  would  be  an  excellent  recruiting  officer  in  Central 
Africa,  as  the  kidnaping  of  slaves  has  been  a  useful  apprenticeship. 

The  support  given  to  Abou  Saood  at  the  close  of  the  expedition  corroborates 
the  suspicions  that  I  had  always  entertained  concerning  the  connivance  of 
government  officials  at  the  slave-trade. 

We  have  already  seen  that  Kutchuk  Ali,  one  of  the  greatest  slave-hunters 
of  the  White  Nile,  had  been  appointed  by  Djiaffer  Pasha  to  command  the  gov- 
ernment expedition  on  the  Bahr  Gazal. 

We  can,  therefore,  readily  understand  that  Abou  Saood,  who  has  already 
been  rewarded,  was  supported  in  his  intrigues  throughout  the  expedition. 
If  he  was  supported  by  a  contract  with  the  government  at  the  commence- 


APPENDIX. 


495 


ment,  and  also  rewarded  at  the  end,  it  is  fair  to  suppose  that  he  was  support- 
ed throughout. 

Although  I  had  written  most  important  letters  to  the  Khedive,  and  also 
to  his  minister,  Cherif  Pasha,  on  Octoher  8th,  1871,  which  necessitated  a  re- 
ply, I  never  received  an  answer.  I  had  reported  the  conduct  of  Abou  Saood 
in  having  captured  herds  of  cattle  from  the  Shir.  I  had  also  reported  the 
conduct  of  my  regimental  officers  in  having  purchased  slaves  in  large  num- 
bers. I  had  also  represented  in  severe  terms  the  conspiracy  of  the  officers  to 
abandon  the  expedition,  and  I  had  begged  for  an  immediate  reply. 

From  that  day  I  never  received  any  written  communication  from  the  Khe- 
dive or  his  ministers  during  my  command  in  Central  Africa.  Thus  no  notice 
was  taken  either  of  the  piratical  acts  of  Abou  Saood  or  of  the  conspiracy  of 
the  officers. 

A  few  extracts  from  the  valuable  work  of  Dr.  Schweinfurth  will  throw  a 
light  upon  the  spirit  which  animated  the  authorities,  all  of  whom  were  in- 
censed at  my  having  presumed  to  understand  the  Khedive's  orders  literally 
respecting  the  suppression  of  the  slave-trade. 

In  page  485,  vol.  ii.,  he  writes :  "  The  ill  feeling  and  smothered  rage  against 
Sir  Samuel  Baker's  interference,  nurtured  by  the  higher  authorities,  breaks 
out  very  strongly  among  the  less  reticent  lower  officials.  In  Fashoda,  and 
even  in  Khartoum,  I  heard  complaints  that  we  (the  Franks)  were  the  prime 
cause  of  all  the  trouble ;  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  our  eternal  agitation  with 
the  Viceroy,  such  measures  would  never  have  been  enforced." 

In  page  477,  vol.  ii.,  he  continues :  "  Notwithstanding  that  Sir  Samuel  Baker 
was  still  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  river,  the  idea  was  quite  prevalent  in  all 
the  zareebas,  that  as  soon  as  the  1  English  Pasha'  had  turned  his  back  upon 
Fashoda  (the  government  station  in  the  Shillook  country),  the  mudir  (gov- 
ernor) would  relapse  into  his  former  habits,  and  levy  a  good  round  sum  on 
the  head  of  every  slave,  and  then  let  the  contraband  stock  pass  without  more 
ado.  But  for  once  the  zareeba  people  were  reckoning  without  their  host.  The 
mudir  had  been  so  severely  reprimanded  by  Baker  for  his  former  delinquen- 
cies, that  he  thought  it  his  best  policy,  for  this  year  at  least,  to  be  as  energetic 
as  he  could  in  his  exertions  against  the  forbidden  trade." 

In  page  470,  vol.  ii.,  Dr.  Schweinfurth  writes:  "I  knew  that  Sir  Samuel 
Baker  was  upon  the  Upper  Kile,  and  did  not  doubt  that  his  presence  would 
have  the  effect  of  making  the  government  take  the  most  strenuous  measures 
against  any  import  of  slaves." 

Page  429,  vol.  ii. :  "  Before  Sir  Samuel  Baker's  expedition  put  a  stop  to  it  al- 
together, the  slave-trade  that  was  carried  on  down  the  river  was  quite  insig- 
nificant, compared  to  the  overland  traffic."  .  .  .  u  For  years  there  has  been  a 
public  prohibition  against  bringing  slaves  down  the  White  Nile  into  Khar- 
toum, and  ever  and  again  stronger  repressive  measures  have  been  introduced, 
which,  however,  have  only  had  the  effect  of  raising  the  land  traffic  to  a  pre- 
mium ;  but,  as  a  general  rule,  the  Egyptian  officials  connive  at  the  use  of  this 
comparatively  unimportant  channel  of  the  trade,  and  pocket  a  quiet  little 
revenue  for  themselves  by  demanding  a  sum  varying  from  two  to  five  dollars 
a  head  as  hush-money." 

In  page  429,  vol.  ii. :  "  The  expedition  of  Sir  Samuel  Baker  has  stopped  this 
source." 

In  page  410,  vol.  ii.,  Dr.  Schweinfurth  writes:  "Already  had  Sir  Samuel 

38 


49G 


APPENDIX. 


Baker,  -with  praiseworthy  energy,  commenced  semiring  the  waters  of  the  Up- 
per Nile  ;  and  by  capturing  all  slave-vessels,  and  abolishing  a  large  'chasua' 
belonging  to  the  mudir  (governor)  of  Fashoda,  had  left  no  doubt  as  to  the 
earnestness  of  his  purpose,"  etc. 

In  page  83,  vol.  i. :  "Beyond  the  true  eastern  shore,  the  Dinka  are  said  to 
ite  settled  in  extensive  villages,  and  at  that  time  still  furnished  an  inexhaust- 
ible supply  of  slaves  to  the  marauding  expeditions  of  the  garrison  of  Fashoda. 
In  1870  Baker  succeeded  in  putting  an  end  to  this  disorder,  the  knowledge  of 
which  penetrated  to  the  most  remote  tribes." 

The  evidence  of  so  trustworthy  a  traveler  as  Dr.  Schweinfurth  is  exceed- 
ingly valuable,  as  he  was  in  the  Western  Nile  districts  at  the  time  that  I  was 
actively  engaged;  thus  he  had  opportunities  of  witnessing  the  results  of  my 
interference,  and  the  hostility  exhibited  by  the  authorities.  He  is  simply  in 
error  concerning  the  importance  of  the  slave-trade  of  the  river,  which  he  much 
underrates,  as  will  have  already  been  seen  by  the  fact  of  seven  hundred  slaves 
being  stowed  away  upon  only  three  vessels  belonging  to  Abou  Saood. 

These  vessels,  that  were  captured  by  my  orders  at  Fashoda,  on  their  way 
toward  Khartoum,  were  an  example  of  the  truth  foretold  by  the  traders  with 
whom  Dr.  Schweinfurth  was  traveling  in  the  West,  "  that  as  soon  as  the  En- 
glish Pasha  had  turned  his  back  upon  Fashoda,  the  governor  would  relapse 
into  his  former  habits,  and  levy  a  good  round  sum  on  the  head  of  every  slave, 
and  then  let  the  contraband  cargo  pass  without  more  ado." 

There  were  always  well-known  slave  routes  through  Kordofan,  but  these 
channels  became  of  extreme  importance  when  I  rendered  the  slave  traffic  of 
the  river  impossible. 

It  is  quite  unnecessary  to  write  more  on  the  subject  of  the  slave-trade.  I 
believed  that  the  Khedive  of  Egypt  was  sincere  when  he  gave  me  the  orders 
to  suppress  this  horrible  traffic ;  and  I  trust,  from  the  simple  and  straightfor- 
ward description  of  the  expedition,  that  the  world  will  acknowledge  that  I 
did  my  duty,  at  the  same  time  that  I  exhibited  the  utmost  leniency  toward 
the  ruffianly  lessees  of  the  Soudan  government. 

I  still  believe  that  the  Khedive  is  sincere  at  heart  in  wishing  to  suppress 
the  slave-trade,  but  he  requires  unusual  moral  courage  to  enter  the  lists  sin- 
gle-handed against  Egyptian  public  opinion. 

Abou  Saood  was  the  incarnation  of  the  slave-trade.  I  begged  that  he  might 
be  tried  before  the  Medjildis,  or  public  tribunal,  in  Cairo,  iu  my  presence.  The 
Khedive  declined  to  bring  him  before  the  public  council,  but  offered  to  try 
him  by  a  special  and  secret  tribunal. 

The  greatest  slave-hunter  of  the  White  Nile  was  rewarded  ! 

MISSIONARY  LABOR. 

My  opinion  has  been  frequently  asked  on  this  subject,  and  many  have  en- 
deavored to  persuade  me  that  a  rapid  change  and  improvement  of  the  natives 
may  be  effected  by  such  an  agency.  I  can  not  resist  by  argument  such  fer- 
vent hopes ;  but  if  good  and  capable  men  are  determined  to  make  the  attempt, 
they  may  now  be  assured  of  peace  and  security  at  Gondokoro,  where  they  will 
have  the  advantage  of  the  good  name  left  by  the  excellent  but  unfortunate 
members  of  the  late  Austrian  mission. 


APPENDIX. 


497 


GEOGRAPHY. 

I  have  not  changed  my  opinions  that  have  already  beer>  expressed  in 
"  The  Albert  N'yanza,"  except  that,  from  the  native  testimony,  I  presume 
there  must  be  a  channel  which  connects  the  Tanganyika  with  the  Albert 
N'yanza.  This  channel  may  easily  have  escaped  the  notice  of  Dr.  Living- 
stone and  Mr.  Stanley,  when  skirting  the  reedy  northern  shores  of  the  Tan- 
ganyika lake. 

Without  a  guide,  it  would  be  a  work  of  much  time  and  difficulty  to  dis- 
cover the  true  channel,  among  the  labyrinth-like  inlets  that  characterize  the 
vast  beds  of  floating  water-grass. 

Many  years  ago,  when  at  Magungo,  on  the  Albert  N'yanza,  I  could  not  at 
first  believe  that  the  raft-choked  entrance  of  the  Victoria  Nile  in  apparently 
dead  water  was  indeed  the  mouth  of  that  important  river.  My  subsequent 
experience  in  the  marshy  and  lacustrine  Bahr  Giraffe  has  confirmed  my  im- 
pressions of  the  extreme  difficulty  of  deciding  upon  the  non-existence  of  a 
channel  until  after  a  lengthened  investigation. 

I  can  not  conceive  that  the  Lualaba  of  Livingstone  can  be  included  within 
the  Nile  Basin.  Livingstone  decided  the  level  of  the  Tanganyika  lake  to  be 
within  seventy-two  feet  of  my  level  of  the  Albert  N'yanza.  With  the  same 
instruments  he  determined  the  altitude  of  the  Lualaba  to  be  lower  than  the 
Albert  N'yanza — thus  showing  the  impossibility  of  a  connection  between,  that 
river  as  an  affluent  with  the  lake. 

I  will  not  presume  to  assert  that  the  Lualaba  is  a  source  of  the  Congo,  as 
I  have  a  strong  objection  to  geographical  theories  or  assertions,  unless  proved 
by  actual  inspection  ;  but  if  Livingstone's  observations  for  altitude  are  cor- 
rect, it  is  impossible  that  the  Lualaba  can  be  connected  with  the  Nile. 

Dr.  Schweinfurth's  discovery  of  the  Wdlle"  river  flowing  toward  the  west, 
between  the  3d  and  4th  deg.  N.  lat.,  is  a  clear  proof  that  no  river  can  be  run- 
ning from  the  south  to  the  north-east  toward  the  Nile  Basin,  otherwise  the 
Welle  river  would  be  intersected. 

My  friend,  Djiaffer  Pasha,  the  former  governor-general  of  the  Soudan,  hav- 
ing originally  been  an  admiral  iu  the  Egyptian  navy,  was  highly  scientific, 
and  a  great  geographer.  He  was  of  opinion  that  the  sources  of  the  Nile  could 
not  possibly  be  south  of  the  equator.  I  heard  him  explain  his  reasons  in  a 
most  emphatic  manner  to  a  select  circle  of  admiriug  Beys,  who  bowed  down 
to  his  superior  learning  and  intelligence.  He  argued  that  the  idea  of  the  Nile 
sources  being  to  the  south  of  the  equator  militated  against  common  sense. 
"  Some  people,"  he  said,  "  are  so  opinionated  that  they  persist  in  their  be- 
lief in  the  southern  sources;  but  I  will  prove  to  you  that  such  a  theory 
must  be  the  result  of  ignorance.  You  all  know,  my  friends,  what  is  meant 
by  a  '  globe?'"  As  none  of  his  hearers  had  ever  seen  one,  they  remained 
silent. 

"A  globe,  my  friends,  is  a  sphere  which  represents  the  true  figure  of  the 
earth.  If  you  will  take  a  spherical  body  in  your  hands,  and  draw  a  line 
around  it  at  the  exact  centre,  you  will  find  that  it  rejiresents  two  inclines 
from  that  centre,  or  equator,  one  of  which  tends  to  the  north,  the  other  to 
the  south. 

"  You  will  readily  understand  that  a  river  can  not  run  uphill "  ("  hear,  hear !" 
from  the  audience) ;  "  therefore  a  man  of  only  moderate  capacity  will  be  con- 


498 


APPENDIX. 


vinced  of  the  correctness  of  ray  theory,  that  the  sources  of  the  Nile  can  not 
be  south  of  the  equator.  If  the  sources  were  south,  they  would  run  down 
toward  the  south,  and  follow  the  inclination  of  the  globe.  It  would,  therefore, 
be  impossible  that  the  water  should  run  up  the  hill  from  the  south  to  cross  the  equator, 
and  then  start  down  the  northern  inclination  of  the  glohe  to  reach  Egypt  and  the 
Mediterranean." 

Djiaffer  Pasha's  geographical  lecture  perfectly  satisfied  his  hearers,  who  ex- 
claimed "Sahhe'"  (it  is  true);  and  they  wondered  that  no  man  except  their 
own  governor -general  had  before  discovered  this  palpable  fact  in  physical 
geography! 

The  Egyptian  ex-admiral's  science  was  a  warning  against  an  indulgence  in 
theories. 

In  page  186,  vol.  ii.,  Dr.  Schweinfurth*  writes:  "Its  course  (the  Lua- 
laba),  indeed,  was  toward  the  north;  but  Livingstone  was  manifestly  in 
D  ior  when  he  took  it  for  a  true  source  of  the  Nile  —  a  supposition  that 
might  have  some  semblance  of  foundation,  originating  in  the  inexplicable 
volume  of  the  water  of  Lake  M'wootan  (Albert  N'yanza),  but  which  was  neg- 
atived completely  as  soon  as  more  ample  investigation  had  been  made  as  to 
the  comparative  level,  direction,  and  connection  of  other  rivers,  especially  of 
the  WelleV' 

Although  Dr.  Schweinfurth  was  unprovided  with  astronomical  instru- 
ments, we  may  place  thorough  reliance  in  the  integrity  and  ability  of  this 
traveler,  who  has  taken  the  greatest  pains  to  arrive  at  true  conclusions.  I 
am  quite  of  his  opinion,  that~the  Welle'  is  outside  the  Nile  Basin,  and  drains 
the  western  water-shed. 

In  a  letter  from  Dr.  Livingstone  addressed  to  Sir  Bartle  Frere,  dated  Lake 
Bangweolo,  Nov.  27th,  1870,  he  writes :  "  The  Tanganyika,  whose  majestic 
flow  I  marked  by  miles  and  miles  of  confe'rvse  and  other  aquatic  vegeta- 
tion for  three  months,  during  my  illness  at  Ujiji,  is,  with  the  lower  Tan- 
ganyika, discovered  by  Baker,  a  riverine  lake  from  twenty  to  thirty  miles 
broad." 

It  is  thus  clear  that  Livingstone  considered  that  the  Tanganyika  and  the 
Albert  N'yanza  were  one  water.  On  May  30th,  1869,  dated  Ujiji,  he  writes 
to  Dr. Kirk:  "Tanganyika,  N'zigd  Ckowambe"  (Baker?)  are  one  water,  and 
the  head  of  it  is  three  hundred  miles  south  of  this." 

"The  majestic  flow"  of  confervas  remarked  by  Livingstone  on  the  Tangan- 
yika is  beyopd  my  comprehension,  if  that  vast  lake  has  no  outlet  at  the 
north. 

In  Livingstone's  letter  of  Nov.  27th,  1870,  he  writes :  "  Speke's  great 
mistake  was  the  pursuit  of  a  foregone  conclusion.  When  he  discovered  the 
Victoria  N'yanza,  ho  at  once  leaped  to  the  conclusion  that  therein  lay  the 
sources;  but  subsequently,  as  soon  as  he  and  Grant  looked  to  the  N'yanza, 
they  turned  their  backs  on  the  Nile  fountains.  Had  they  doubted  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  conclusion,  they  would  have  come  west  into  the  trough  of 
the  great  valley,  and  found  there  mighty  streams,  not  eighty  or  ninety  yards, 
as  their  White  Nile,  but  from  four  thousand  to  eight  thousand  yards,  and 
always  deep." 

I  was  surprised  that  Livingstone  could  make  such  an  error  in  quoting 


*  "  The  Heart  of  Africa." 


APPENDIX. 


499 


Speke's  White  Nile  from  the  Victoria  N'yanza  as  eighty  or  ninety  yards  in 
width  !  At  M'rooli,  in  N.  lat.  1°  37",  I  have  seen  that  magnificent  river,  v,  liidi 
is  at  least  a  thousand  yards  in  width,  with  a  great  depth.  I  have  traveled  on 
the  river  in  canoes,  and  in  the  narrowest  places,  where  the  current  is  natu- 
rally increased,  the  width  is  at  least  three  hundred  yards. 

From  my  personal  experience,  I  must  strenuously  uphold  the  Victoria  Nile 
as  a  source  of  enormous  volume ;  ami  should  it  ever  be  proved  that  the  dis- 
tant affluents  of  the  Tanganyika  or  the  M'wootan  N'zige"  are  the  most  remote, 
and,  therefore,  the  nominal  sources  of  the  Nile,  the  great  Victoria  N'yanza 
must  ever  be  connected  with  the  names  of  Speke  and  Grant  as  one  of  the 
majestic  parents  of  the  Nile  Basin. 

Latterly,  when  speaking  of  the  Lualaba,  Livingstone  writes  to  Sir  Henry 
Rawlinson :  "  The  drainage  clearly  did  not  go  into  Tanganyika ;  and  that 
lake,  though  it  probably  has  an  outlet,  lost  all  its  interest  to  me  as  a  source 
of  the  river  of  Egypt." 

"We  are,  therefore,  completely  in  the  dark  concerning  the  flow  of  water 
from  the  Lualaba  south  of  the  equator,  and  of  Schweiufurth's  Welle"  north  of 
the  equator;  but  both  these  large  rivers  were  tending  to  the  same  direction, 
north-west.  The  discovery  of  these  two  rivers  in  about  the  same  meridian 
is  a  satisfactory  proof  of  the  western  water-shed,  which  completely  excludes 
them  from  the  Nile  Basin.  If  the  Tanganyika  lake  has  no  communication 
with  the  Albert  N'yanza,  the  old  Nile  is  the  simple  offspring  of  the  two  par- 
ents— the  Victoria  and  the  Albert  lakes. 

When  the  steamer  that  I  left  at  Gondokoro  in  sections  shall  be  launched 
upon  the  Albert  N'yanza,  this  interesting  question  will  be  quickly  solved. 

Early  in  November,  1871,  when  I  was  on  the  Nile  south  of  Regiaf,  I  noticed 
the  peculiar  change  that  suddenly  took  i>lace  m  the  river.  We  were  then  in 
N.  lat.  4°  38",  below  the  last  cataracts,  where  the  water  was  perfectly  clear 
and  free  from  vegetation,  with  a  stream  of  about  three  and  a  half  or  four 
miles  per  hour. 

Suddenly  the  river  became  discolored  by  an  immense  quantity  of  the  Pis- 
tia  stratiotes,  of  which  not  one  jdant  was  entire. 

This  aquatic  plant  invariably  grows  in  either  dead  water  or  in  the  most 
sluggish  stream,  and  none  existed  in  the  part  of  the  river  at  N.  lat.  4°  38". 

I  examined  many  of  the  broken  plants,  which,  instead  of  floating  as  usual 
on  the  surface,  were  mingled  in  enormous  quantities  with  the  rushiug  waters. 
None  were  rotten,  but  they  had  evidently  been  carried  down  the  numerous 
rocky  water-falls  which  occupy  the  interval  between  N.  lat.  3°  34"  and  4°  38", 
and  were  thus  bruised  and  torn  asunder. 

The  extraordinary  influx  of  damaged  aquatic  plants  continued  for  many 
days,  and  unmistakably  denoted  the  rise  in  the  level  of  the  Albert  N'yanza 
at  that  season  (say  Nov.  1st).  Above  the  falls,  in  N.  lat.  3°  32",  there  is  very 
little  current  in  the  broad,  deep  Nile ;  and  in  about  N.  lat.  3°  this  river  is 
several  miles  in  width,  with  no  perceptible  stream.  In  those  propitious 
calms  the  Pistia  stratiotes  grows  in  vast  masses  along  the  shores,  and  the  an- 
nual rise  of  the  lake  creates  a  current  which  carries  the  plants  toward  the 
cataracts,  and  consequent  destruction. 

By  this  sign  I  conclude  that  the  maximum  of  the  Albert  N'yanza  would  be 
during  the  month  of  November. 


500 


APPENDIX. 


LANGUAGES. 

The  following  list  of  words  will  afford  a  fair  example  of  the  differences  in 
Language  of  the  various  tribes  between  Gondokoro  and  the  equator: 


A  fowl   A- 66. 

A  mat   Gallaca. 

Flour   Arafoo. 

Fire   Arsi. 

Water   Tee. 

Milk   Leh. 

A  cow   Tee. 

A  bull   Moniko. 

A  dog   Orke. 

Rain   Yee. 

The  sun   Yetakali. 

A  chief   Orpi. 

A  sheep   Kabeelo. 

A  goat   Indree. 

The  moon   Imbah. 

The  stars   Beebi. 

Flesh   Isah. 

Dhurra  (corn)   Aslh. 

A  basket   Evoch. 

Beads  |  Meeoh. 

Coracan  Eieusine  |  Loque. 


Shnoli. 


Chokore. 

Tero. 

B616. 

Kemang. 

Feeum. 

LCh. 

Kitaug. 

Moni. 

Diong. 

Koodoo. 

Narlong. 

Mattat. 

Kabisho. 

Keene. 

Yarfah. 

Katchikoo. 

Lokore. 

Keemak. 

Soodah. 

Sooksook. 


Gweno. 

Kaboone. 

Mocha. 

Mai. 

Pee. 

Chak. 

Deang. 

Tu-an. 

Gunoah. 

Kort. 

Tschen. 

Ruort. 

Kamo. 

Deall. 

Dooe. 

Lakori. 

Rengo. 

Gyah. 

Adooku. 

Teko. 

Kaal. 


Unvoro. 


Unkoko. 

Obsano. 

Moora. 

Maizi. 

Arnattai. 

Inte. 


Injoore. 

Musanne. 

Matongali. 

Imbuzi. 

Imbuzi. 

Quezi. 

Nynerzi. 


Unguanze. 
BurroL 


A  tree  

Far  off.  

Near  

Not  far  

A  house  

Plantains  

Beans  

Butter  

A  canoe  

A  paddle  

A  mountain. . . 

The  earth  

The  sky  

A  road  or  path 
Go  on  


Unyoro. 


Bisale". 

Arraiee. 

Aiee. 

Ampi. 

Engooi. 

Bit  Old. 

Koli. 

Maggita. 

Obwato. 

Engaiee. 

Orsozi. 

Intaka. 

Iggohr. 

Muhanda. 

Toffendi. 


Halt  

Go  away. . 
Come  here 
Sit  down . . , 

Get  up  

A  man  

A  woman  . 

A  girl  

A  boy  , 

A  thief  

Fish  

Wood  

Eggs  


Unvoro. 


Indeenda. 
Taisa  Genda. 
Igghia. 

In-karra-hanze. 

Im-m66kka. 

Moosegga. 

Mookazze". 

Miss-sooki. 

Um-wana. 

Moosuma. 

j  Lubari,  or 

|  Enchoa. 

Biti. 

Yooli. 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that,  although  the  domestic  ox,  sheep,  and  fowls  are 
found  everywhere  among  the  negroes  of  Central  Africa,  there  is  no  trace  of 
the  original  stock  among  the  wild  animals  of  the  country.  The  question 
arises — Where  did  they  come  from  ? 

Dogs  are  domesticated,  and  are  used  by  the  natives  in  their  hunts.  Those 
of  Central  Africa  are  miserable  pariahs,  but  they  are  nevertheless  much  prized 
by  their  owners. 

After  the  attack  at  Fatiko  by  the  slave-hunters,  which  resulted  in  the  dis- 
persion of  their  party,  upward  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  dogs  became  house- 
less. The  natives  asked  my  permission  to  capture  them,  and,  having  spread 
their  hunting-nets,  they  drove  the  dogs  as  they  would  wild  animals,  and  daily 
secured  a  great  number,  which  they  trained  to  hunt  the  calves  of  antelopes 
and  the  great  grass-rat  (Aulacodus  swindernianus). 


APPENDIX. 


501 


Negroes  have  no  sympathy  with  the  yoruig  of  wild  animals,  and  I  have 
never  seen  a  pet  animal  or  bird  in  their  villages.  Although  I  offered  two 
cows  for  every  young  elephant  they  might  catch,  I  never  could  prevail  upon 
them  to  spare  the  little  ones.  Five  were  speared  ruthlessly  in  one  day  within 
two  or  three  hours'  march  of  Fatiko.  A  negro  is  never  seen  without  his 
spear,  and  he  finds  the  greatest  pleasure  in  sticking  it  into  either  something 
or  somebody. 

DISEASES. 

Small -pox  is  prevalent.  Cholera  rarely  attacks  the  country,  but  it  is 
known.  Dysentery  is  very  common  in  the  White  Nile  districts,  but  it  is  rare 
in  the  highlands.  This  complaint  is  generally  fatal  at  Gondokoro.  Great 
caution  should  be  used,  and  impure  water  avoided.  Marsh  fever  is  the  gen- 
eral comj)laint  of  the  low  ground,  but  is  rare  in  the  highlands  of  Fatiko  and 
Unyoro.  I  have  never  met  with  typhoid  fevers  in  Central  Africa,  although 
they  are  common  at  Khartoum. 

Measles,  hooping-cough,  scarlatina,  croup,  diphtheria  are  quite  Unknown. 

Blindness  is  only  the  result  of  extreme  age,  and  is  very  rare.  I  never  saw 
a  case  of  mania,  nor  have  I  ever  met  more  than  one  idiot  in  Central  Africa. 
The  brain  appears  to  be  exercised  as  a  simple  muscle  of  the  body,  and  is  never 
overstrained  by  deep  thought  or  by  excessive  study.  There  are  no  great 
commercial  or  parliamentary  anxieties  ;  no  struggles  to  keep  up  appearances 
and  position  in  society  against  the  common  enemy,  "  small  means  no  hearts 
to  break  with  overwhelming  love ;  but  the  human  beings  of  Central  Africa 
live  as  animals,  simply  using  the  brain  as  a  director  of  their  daily  wants. 
Thus,  in  their  simple  state,  they  never  commit  suicide,  and  never  go  mad. 
Their  women  never  give  birth  to  cripples  or  monsters,  as  the  sympathetic 
uterus  continues  in  harmony  with  the  healthy  brain. 

I  have  seen  only  two  dwarfs.  These  were  in  Unyoro,  one  of^whom  was  de- 
scribed by  Speke  (Kimenya) :  he  is  since  dead.  The  other  was  at  the  court 
of  Kabba  R6ga,  named  Rakoomba.  We  measured  this  little  fellow,  who  was 
exactly  three  feet  and  half  au  inch  in  height  at  the  age  of  about  eighteen 
years. 

The  teeth  are  remarkable  throughout  Central  Africa.  I  have  examined 
great  numbers  of  skulls,  and  I  never  found  a  decayed  tooth.  Many  tribes  ex- 
tract the  four  front  teeth  of  the  lower  jaw.  The  bone  then  closes,  and  forms 
a  sharp  edge,  like  the  jaw  of  a  turtle. 

MAMMALIA .  * 

The  principal  animals  and  birds  in  the  Shooli  country  are : 

Native  name. 


Gazella  dama   Lajooar. 

Nanotragm  liemprichianus   Amoor. 

Cervicapra  leucotis  Teel. 

Cervicapra  ellipsiprymna   Apoolli. 

Cervicapra  arundinacea   Oboor. 

Alcelaphus  bubalis   Poora. 

Tragelaphus  scriptus   Roda. 

Hippotragus  Bakeri   .Aboori. 

Camelopardalis  giraffa   Ree. 


*  Mr.  Sclater,  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London,  has  furnished  me  with  the  sci- 
entific names  of  the  antelopes  and  other  mammals. 


502  APFEXDIS. 


Native  name. 

Phacockcerv®  ^Eliani  (Riipp— Wart-hog)   Kool. 

Bos  coffer  Joobi. 

Elephas  Africanus   Letch. 

Rhinoceros  bicomis   Oomooga. 

Felis  leo   Lobohr. 

Felis  leopardus  Quiltch. 

Wild  dog  (probably  Lycaon  pictus)   Orara. 

Jackal   Roodi. 

Hycena  crocuta   Laluha. 

Manis  TemmincMi   Mooak. 

Hyxtrixsp   Cho. 

Viverra  genetta   Gnonge. 

Felis  caracal  Quorra. 

Herpestes  striatus   Juang. 

Struthio  camelus   Oodo. 

Leptoplilus  crumenifirus   Kicoom. 

Hyrax  sp   Dooka. 

Atdacodus  swindernianus,  or  great  reed-rat   Neeri. 

Fupodotes  sp   Apodo. 

Numida  meleugris  (?)   Oweno. 

Francolinus  $p.(?)   Aweri. 


The  zebra  exists  in  the  Shooli  country,  but  is  very  Tare.  Hippopotami  are 
to  be  found  in  the  Asua  river. 

On  the  borders  of  the  White  Nile  we  find  the  Cerrlcapra  megaceros  and  the 
beautiful  Damalis  senegalensis,  which  I  had  supposed  was  a  new  species  when 
I  first  secured  it  on  the  banks  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe. 

Nothing  new  has  been  actually  discovered  during  the  expedition,  and  there 
can  be  nothing  existing  as  an  animal  that  is  not  well  known  to  the  natives, 
with  whom  I  constantly  associated  ,*  therefore  there  is  little  hope  of  unknown 
species,,  excepting  the  wild  dog  known  by  the  Shooli  as  "  orara." 


The  botanical  collection,  made  entirely  by  Lady  Baker,  was  handed  to  the 
Khedive  of  Egypt ;  therefore  I  regret  that  I  can  not  describe  it. 

LIBERATED  SLAVES. 

Upon  arrival  at  Gondokoro  with  our  party,  we  were  shortly  visited  by  the 
Bari  father  of  little  Cuckoo,  who  had  traveled  seven  hundred  miles  with  us. 
In  a  year  and  a  half  Cuckoo  had  grown  immensely,*  and,  being  in  a  good  suit 
of  clothes,  he  was  with  difficulty  recognized  by  his  savage-looking  parent, 
who  had  parted  with  him  as  a  naked,  ash-smeared  little  urchin  of  between 
six  and  seven  years  old. 

I  am  sorry  to  say  that  Cuckoo  did  not  meet  his  father  with  an  affectionate 
embrace,  but  he  at  first  positively  refused  to  go  with  him  ;  and  when  compel- 
led to  accompany  him  as  a  prodigal  son  and  wanderer,  he  dug  his  knuckles 
into  his  eyes  and  began  to  cry.  Poor  little  Cuckoo  knew  that  the  days  of 
beef  and  good  cooking  had  passed  away.  He  expressed  his  determination  to 
run  away  from  his  father  and  to  return  to  us ;  but  as  his  home  was  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Nile,  we  never  saw  little  Cuckoo  again. 

The  boys  and  young  women  whom  I  had  liberated  from  the  slave-hunters, 
and  who  had  acted  as  domestic  servants,  Avere  well  cared  for  at  the  close  of 
the  expedition,  and  I  secured  them  situations  with  well-known  respectable 
families  in  Cairo  and  Alexandria.    Amaru,  the  Abyssinian  boy,  who  in  intel- 


APPENDIX. 


503 


ligcnco  had  been  far  in  advance  of  the  negro  lads,  accompanied  his  mistress 
to  England  at  his  express  request,  where  he  is  now  regularly  installed  in  our 
own  household.  The  ulcerated  leg,  from  which  he  had  suffered  for  two  years 
in  Africa,  was  soon  cured  hy  the  kind  attention  of  the  surgeons  of  St.  George's 
Hospital  shortly  after  his  arrival  in  London. 

A  FEW  HINTS. 

I  shall  give  the  following  hints  as  they  occurred  to  me,  and  as  I  noted  them 
down  at  the  time  when  in  Africa  : 

Medicine  Chest  should  be  of  teak,  covered  with  zinc,  with  copper  edges 
and  corners.  The  bottom  should  be  first  covered  externally,  to  enable  the 
wet  to  drain  off  without  touching  the  wood.  The  expensive  canteens  pur- 
chased of  Messrs.  Silver  and  Co.,  although  covered  with  metal  on  the  top  and 
sides,  had  no  metal  beneath ;  thus  they  were  a  prey  to  damp  and  insects. 

All  bottles  in  medicine  chest  should  have  numbers  engraved  on  the  glass, 
to  correspond  with  an  index  painted  on  the  inside  of  the  lid.  Insects  and 
damp  quickly  destroy  gilding,  or  ordinary  paper  labels. 

Seidlitz  Powders  and  all  effervescent  medicines  should  be  packed  in  wide- 
mouthed,  stoppered  bottles,  but  never  in  papers. 

Matches. — Bryant  and  May's  "Victoria  Matches"  will  stand  the  damp  of 
the  tropics  beyond  all  others. 

Tarpaulins  should  be  true  mackintosh ;  but  no  other  preparation  of  In- 
dia rubber  will  stand  the  heat  of  the  tropics.  No.  2  canvas  painted  is  better 
than  any  preparation  of  tar,  which  sticks  when  folded  together. 

All  tarpaulins  should  be  twelve  feet  square,  with  large  metal  eyelet-holes 
and  stroug  lines.    If  larger,  they  are  too  heavy. 

Bottles. — All  wine  or  liquor  bottles  should  have  the  necks  dipped  in  bottle- 
wax  thickly.  Metallic  capsules  will  be  bitten  through  and  the  corks  destroy- 
ed by  cockroaches. 

Mill: — Crosse  and  Blackwell's  "liquid  cream"  is  excellent.  That  of  the 
Anglo-Swiss  Company  was  good  at  the  commencement,  but  it  did  not  keep 
sweet  after  two  years. 

Shoes  and  Boots. — Shoes  are  better  than  laced  boots,  as  the  latter  give  much 
trouble.  The  soles  should  not  be  too  thick,  and  should  be  studded  with  sharp 
nails.  Two  pairs  of  long,  brown  leather  boots,  to  reach  above  the  knee,  are 
useful  for  riding.  All  shoes  should  be  kept  in  light  canvas  bags,  tightly  tied 
at  the  mouth  to  protect  them  from  insects. 

Dry  Stores  should  all  be  hermetically  sealed,  and  great  care  should  be 
observed  in  soldering  the  tin  cases.  This  is  frequently  neglected,  and  the 
result  of  careless  soldering  is  ruin  to  all  biscuits,  flour,  sago,  macaroni,  etc. 

Ammunition. — All  cartridges  should  be  taken  from  England  loaded ;  and 
for  private  use  they  should  be  hermetically  sealed  in  boxes  containing  one 
hundred  each  if  small,  or  fifty  if  large. 

Five  hundred  Snider  cartridges,  in  teak  boxes  lined  with  soldered  tin, 
weigh  sixty -four  pounds  each,  and  can  be  carried  on  the  journey  by  one 
native. 

Casks  of  wood  are  unsuited  for  African  travel ;  small  beetles  perforate  them. 
Galvanized  iron  flattened  kegs  are  useful  for  carrying  water  through  the  des- 
ert. For  camels  which  carry  four  casks  they  should  contain  ten  gallons  each  ; 
for  mules,  eight  gallons. 


504 


APPENDIX. 


Plates,  etc. — All  plates,  cups,  saucers,  dishes,  etc.,  should  be  enameled  on 
metal. 

Saucepans,  Kettles,  etc.,  should  be  copper. 

DrinMng-cwps  should  be  silver,  to  contain  one  pint  or  more,  and  to  fit  into 
each  other. 

A  tankard  with  a  very  strong  hinge  to  the  lid  is  invaluable  to  keep  out  flies, 
but  the  servants  will  probably  wrench  the  lid  off. 

Boxes. — Do  not  attempt  to  spare  money  in  boxes.  They  should  be  of  the 
stoutest  block-tin,  or  of  copper,  well  painted.  Tradesmen  are  apt  to  do  you 
in  the  hinges. 

All  boxes  should  lock  with  brass  locks.  Shun  padlocks.  A  master-key 
should  open  all  your  boxes,  even  should  you  have  a  thousand.  Each  box 
should  have  a  pierced  metal  label  slung  with  wire  upon  each  iron  handle. 
Painted  numbers  quickly  wear  out. 

My  boxes  measured  twenty-two  inches  long,  twelve  inches  deep,  fourteen 
broad.    These  were  quite  invaluable  throughout  the  expedition. 

Guns  and  Rifles  must  depend  upon  individual  tastes.  Never  possess  such  an 
antiquated  affair  as  a  muzzle-loader. 

Hollow  bullets  are  quite  useless  for  thick-skinned  animals.  I  like  No.  10 
rifles,  with  chambers  to  contain  a  cartridge  with  ten  drachms  No.  6  powder. 
Such  a  rifle  must  weigh  fifteen  pounds  to  shoot  accurately. 

Axes. — All  axes,  picks,  hoes,  etc.,  should  have  oval  holes,  but  nearly  circular, 
to  receive  the  handles.    Natives  will  break  any  civilized  method  of  fitting. 

Every  soldier  should  carry  a  very  small,  long-bladed,  but  narrow  hatchet 
of  soft  steel. 

Feathers. — Preserve  all  feathers  of  game,  taking  care  to  strip  them  from  the 
stems,  for  making  pillows. 

The  large  wing-feathers  of  geese,  bustards,  etc.,  make  dusting-brushes,  fans, 
quill  tooth-picks,  etc. 

Hale's  Rockets. — Those  which  explode  are  invaluable.  Six  ancTthree  pound- 
ers are  large  enough,  and  are  handy  to  carry. 

Norton's  Pumps  were  of  no  use  except  in  sandy  or  gravelly  soil,  and  they  did 
not  equal  my  expectations. 

Blue-lights  are  quite  invaluable  if  fitted  with  percussion-caps.  They  should 
be  packed  in  a  strong  tin  box,  with  partitions  to  contain  a  dozen ;  to  be  placed 
near  your  bed  at  night. 

Lamps  should  burn  either  oil  or  candles. 

Burning-glasses  are  very  useful  if  really  good.  The  inner  bark  of  the  fig- 
tree,  well  beaten  and  dried  in  the  sun,  makes  excellent  tinder. 

Mosquito  Gaiters  or  Stockings  should  be  wide,  of  very  soft  leather,  to  draw 
over  the  foot  and  leg  quite  up  to  the  thigh-joint.  These  are  a  great  comfort 
when  sitting  during  the  evening. 

Tanned  Goods. — All  tents,  awnings,  sails,  nets,  lines,  etc.,  should  be  tanned, 
to  preserve  them  in  African  climates. 

Books. — All  journals  and  note-books  should  be  tinted  paper,  to  preserve  the 
eyes  from  the  glare,  which  is  very  trying  when  writing  in  the  open  air  upon 
white  paper. 

Seeds  should  be  simply  packed  in  brown-paper  parcels  sewn  up  in  canvas, 
and  should  never  be  hermetically  scaled. 

Blood. — When  meat  is  scarce,  do  not  waste  the  blood.    Clean  out  the  large 


APPENDIX. 


505 


intestine  of  an  animal,  if  far  from  camp.  This  will  contain  a  considerable 
quantity,  and  can  be  easily  secured,  by  a  ligature  at  each  end. 

Fish  can  be  preserved  without  salt,  by  smoke.  They  should  be  split  down 
the  back  (not  the  belly)  from  head  to  tail,  and  be  smoked  upon  a  frame-work 
of  sticks  immediately  when  caught.  Four  forked  sticks,  driven  into  the 
ground  as  uprights  to  support  two  parallel  poles,  crossed  with  bars,  will  form 
a  frame-work  about  three  feet  high ;  the  fire  is  beneath.  All  fish  and  flesh  is 
thus  preserved  by  the  natives  when  hunting. 

Salt. — When  efflorescent  on  the  surface  of  the  soil,  scrape  with  a  spoon  or 
shell,  and  collect  it  with  as  little  sand  as  possible.  Cut  a  hole  two  inches 
square  in  the  bottom  of  a  large  earthen  pot,  cover  the  hole  with  a  little 
straw,  then  fill  the  pot  with  the  salt  and  sand.  Pour  water  slowly  over  this, 
aud  allow  it  to  filter  into  a  receiver  below.  Boil  the  product  until  the  water 
has  evaporated,  then  spread  the  wet  salt  upon  a  cloth  to  dry  in  the  sun. 

Potash. — If  you  have  no  salt,  treat  wood-ashes  or  those  of  grass  in  the  same 
way. 

Oil.—  All  seeds  or  nuts  that  will  produce  oil  should  be  first  roasted  like  cof- 
fee, then  ground  fine  upon  a  flat  stone,  and  boiled  with  water.  The  oil  then 
rises  to  the  surface,  and  is  skimmed  off.  Unless  the  nuts  or  seeds  are  roasted, 
the  boiling  water  will  not  extract  the  oil. 

Crutches. — To  make  impromptu  crutches  to  assist  woilnded  men  upon  a 
march,  select  straight  branches  that  grow  with  a  fork.  Cut  them  to  the 
length  required,  anq  lash  a  small  piece  of  wood  across  the  fork.  This,  if 
wound  with  rag,  Will  fit  beneath  the  arm,  and  make  a  good  crutch.  In  this 
manner  I  brought  my  wounded  men  along  on  the  march  from  Masindi. 

Tamarinds. — Whenever  possible,  collect  this  valuable  fruit.  Take  off  the 
shell,  and  press  the  tamarinds  into  lumps  of  about  two  pounds.  They  will 
keep  in  this  simple  form  for  many  months,  and  are  invaluable  in  cases  of  fe- 
ver— cooling  when  drunk  cold,  aud  sudorific  when  taken  hot.  If  taken  in 
quantity,  they  are  aperient. 

The  last  Letter  of  Mil  Edwin  Higginbotham,  Engincer-in-Chicf  to  the  Expedi- 
tion, who  died  February  28th,  1873. 
RECEIVED  AT  FATIKO. 

"Ismaili'a,  February  2d,  1873. 

"  Excellency,— Wat-el-Mek  arrived  here  on  December  23d,  1872,  bringing 
your  welcome  letter  of  November  14th.  I  need  not  say  how  glad  I  am  to  hear 
that  you  are  all  well,  and  have  had  good  health  since  your  departure. 

"  I  have  been  very  anxious  about  you,  as  there  were  all  kinds  of  rumors 
afloat  here. 

"I  write  down  the  news,  the  different  items  in  the  order  they  have  oc- 
curred. 

"  On  August  20th,  1872,  the  traders  arrived  from  the  West  with  a  consider- 
able quantity  of  ivory. 

"  On  August  29th  Abou  Saood  made  his  appearance,  with  sixty  or  seventy 
of  his  people,  and  immediately  all  kinds  of  rumors  were  in  circulation  :  that 
you  had  been  obliged  to  retreat  from  Unyoro  with  the  loss  of  half  the  men ; 
Abd-el-Kader  killed;  that  you  had  returned  to  Fatiko,  and  would  be  here  in 
a  short  time,  and  the  whole  expedition  would  then  return  at  once  to  Khar- 
toum. 


506 


APPENDIX. 


"  It  also  became  at  once  known  that  you  had  fought  with  Abou  Saood's  peo- 
ple,  and  killed  a  great  number  of  thein,  but  the  cause  I  could  not  find  out.  I 
questioned  several  of  the  men,  but  could  gather  no  details  of  the  affair.  It 
was  very  evident  they  did  not  wish  to  give  any  information  respecting  the 
matter. 

"  Seeing  nothiug  of  Abou  Saood,  I  next  day  went  to  see  Raouf  Bey,  and 
found  Abou  Saood  there,  *  Atrush,'*  and  several  others.  I  remained  there  some 
time,  but  could  learn  nothing  beyond  what  I  had  heard  the  day  before.  See- 
ing this,  I  asked  Abou  Saood  why  the  government  troops  and  his  people  had 
fought  together.  He  replied  that  he  had  not  been  present,  and  knew  noth- 
ing w  hatever  about  the  matter.  That  after  the  fight  you  had  sent  for  him, 
and  asked  him  to  take  down  in  writing  what  had  occurred.  That  he  had  re- 
fused, on  the  grounds  that  he  had  not  been  present,  and  that  he  was  only 
Abou  Saood  and  you  were  a  Pasha. 

"  He  then  left  you  and  returned  to  Fabbo,  and  afterward  marched  for  here, 
as  he  found,  after  what  had  occurred,  that  it  was  impossible  to  procure  porters 
to  carry  the  ivory  from  the  different  stations.  His  intention  in  coming  here 
was  to  try  and  persuade  'Atrush'  and  the  natives  from  the  West  to  return 
with  him  to  Fabbo  to  briug  the  ivory  here. 

"I  then  asked  him  for  letters,  when,  much  to  my  surprise,  he  replied  that 
he  had  none.  I  at  once  put  it  down  for  certain  that  he  had  come  here  with- 
out your  knowledge  or  consent. 

"After  the  arrival  of  Abou  Saood,  the  general  feeling  here  was  one  of  satis- 
faction. Every  face  looked  brighter.  You  were  coming  here,  and  we  were 
all  to  start  for  Khartoum  at  once  ;  in  fact,  the  expedition  was  at  an  end. 

"Abou  Saood  took  up  his  quarters  at  your  old  place  (Hellet-el-Sit),  and  was 
engaged  for  several  days  in  dividing  the  ivory  brought  from  the  West. 

"  Eaouf  Bey  wished  to  go  out  to  capture  cattle,  and  asked  Abou  Saood  and 
the  men  of  Atrush  to  accompany  him.  However,  the  expedition  did  not  come 
off  for  some  reason,  I  believe  because  the  men  of  Atrush  were  afraid  of  hav- 
ing any  thing  to  do  with  us,  after  hearing  the  news  brought  by  Abou  Saood. 
Whether  Abou  Saood  really  asked  '  Atrush '  and  his  people  to  return  with  him 
to  Fabbo,  I  do  not  know ;  report  says  that  he  did,  and  they  refused  to  have 
any  thing  to  do  with  him  hereafter.  They  broke  up  their  camp  at  once, 
and  marched,  many  of  the  men  declaring  their  intention  of  making  for  their 
'zareeba,'  and  then  marching  across  country  with  their  women,  children,  and 
slaves,  to  join  the  stations  on  the  Bahr  Gazelle. 

"On  September  9th  a  'diahbeeah't  arrived  from  Khartoum  belonging  to 
Abou  Saood,  but  not  letters. 

"  On  September  11th,  Abou  Saood,  with  all  his  people  and  boats,  left  for  the 
'Bohr.'t 

"  On  November  6th  a  boat  arrived  at  Khartoum,  belonging  to  a  merchant ; 
ten  months  and  a  half  on  the  journey.  He  met  Abou  Saood  on  his  way  to 
Khartoum. 

"  On  November  8th  six  boats  arrived  with  corn  for  the  Government.  They 
belonged  to  Abou  Saood,  and  had  contracted  at  Khartoum  to  deliver  a  certain 

*  Atrush,  the  vakeel  of  Abou  Saood's  stations  in  the  Makkarika  country,  west  of 
the  Nile. 

t  Thus  to  escape  with  the  slaves  via  the  routes  of  Darfur  and  Kordofan. 
t  The  Bohr  is  one  of  Abou  Saood's  largest  stations  on  the  White  Nile. 


APPENDIX. 


507 


quantity  of  corn  here.  These  boats,  after  discharging  the  corn,  returned  to 
the  1  Bohr.'    Ten  months  on  the  journey. 

"  On  December  27th,  1872,  one  of  a  fleet  of  twenty-two  boats  arrived  ;  the 
remainder  we  were  to  expect  every  day.  They  have  since  arrived,  bringing 
four  hundred  men,  and  corn  ;  all  Soudanis.  The  '  sackoylarsi '  died  on  the 
way. 

"  They  brought,  of  course,  the  latest  news,  which  you  will  now  receive. 

"  The  new  steamer  was  finished  a  few  days  ago,  and  very  well  she  looks. 
The  men  are  now  engaged  in  packing  the  smaller  one,  and  repairing  your 
'  diahbeeah.'  We  find  it  impossible  to  drag  her  up,  as  we  are  afraid  of  pulling 
her  in  pieces  in  doing  so.  However,  we  are  making  the  best  job  of  her  we 
can. 

"As  regards  the  carts,  I  am  afraid  we  can  not  rely  on  their  being  of  the 
slightest  use.  Every  thing  made  of  European  timber  appears  to  perish  rap- 
idly here.  All  the  '  Kyassa '  boats,  and  the  three  wooden  '  diahbeeahs '  built 
at  Cairo,  are  worthless,  and  obliged  to  be  broken  up.  They  have  been  drag- 
ged up,  caulked,  and  patched,  only  to  sink  again.  They  are  all  wrecks,  and 
we  are  breaking  them  up.  The  timber  we  get  from  them  is  for  the  most  part 
unfit  to  burn  on  the  steamer,  it  is  so  rotten. 

"  Even  the  barge,  built  by  the  Englishmen  twelve  months  ago  of  new  tim- 
ber, will  be  worthless  in  another  six  months. 

"Only  ' soonV  seems  to  stand  the  climate;  all  other  timber  becomes  rotten 
at  once. 

"  The  fleet  of  twenty-two  boats  and  the  merchant's  boat  return  to-morrow, 
with  the  exception  of  four.  They  remain  here  to  do  the  general  work,  and  to 
replace  the  ones  being  broken  up. 

"  I  have  also  kept  here  a  crew  of  eight  men  for  your  '  diahbeeah.'  All  the 
old  boatmen  are  returning;  there  has  been  great  sickness  among  them. 

"  Two  of  the  workmen  have  died  since  you  left,  and  a  third  is  useless  from 
a  sore  leg.  There  is  now  no  sawyer. 

"The  health  of  the  Englishmen,  as  well  as  my  own,  has  been  but  indiffer- 
ent, but  quite  as  well  as  could  be  expected,  taking  into  consideration  the  fact 
that  we  are  living  at  Ismailia.  Soon  after  Wat-el-Mek's  arrival  I  was  attacked 
with  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  and  have  been  laid  up  since — a  very  disagree- 
able illness ;  but  am  getting  better. 

"  Wat-el-Mek  will,  of  course,  explain  his  long  delay  here,  about  which  you 
will  be  very  anxious.    He  expects  to  leave  to-morrow. 

"  We  have  had  a  wonderfully  wet  season,  quite  different  from  the  year  be- 
fore ;  the  whole  place  flooded  at  times ;  the  river  sometimes  covering  the 
islands  for  days  together. 

"  I  need  not  say  how  glad  I  shall  be  to  meet  you  all  again. 

"  Remember  me  kindly  to  Lady  Baker  and  Mr.  Baker,  and  believe  me  to  be, 
"  Excellency,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

"  E.  HlGGINBOTIIAM. 

"His  Excellency  Sir  Samuel  Baker,  Pasha, 
"Commander  in  Chief,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

"  The  1  revises '  of  the  fleet  of  boats,  which  has  arrived,  all  agree  that  the 
'sudd'  is  a  far  less  formidable  affair  than  the  year  we  passed  through,  there 
now  being  plenty  of  water  where  it  was  before  dry.  There  is  also  little  or  no 
grass." 


508  APPENDIX. 


GEOGRAPHICAL  NOTES. 


METEOROLOGICAL  REGISTER  KEPT  BY  LADY  BAKER. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Rain-fall. 

Wind. 

Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1  Q71 

T  M" 

Aug.  1 

u  9 

<U 

cn 
oU 

V aria  Die. 

Ijlglll. 

to 

89 

Oiii 

"  3 

CO 

Qf» 

oU 

•29 

u 

ro 

I  z 

CO 

u 

it  K 
O 

"  ft 

o 

74 
io 

QO 

QA 

cy± 

u 
u 

a  iy 
i 

74 

QA 

•  A1 

., 

"  S 
o 

74 

80 

u 

«  9 

74 

to 

(< 

"  in 

fro 

(a 

to 

•99 

Q  W 

-Lilglll. 

ii 

co 

la 

CO 

OtO 

w . 

QK 
OD 

"vr  tt1 
i>  .iii. 

a       i  q 
lo 

>7A 

HA 

r± 

•99 

iN  . 

k  id. 

70 

84 

"XT 

"  15 

75 

83 

s.w. 

U          1  ft 

74 

80 

•  91 

IN  .Hi. 

"  17 

77 

74 

•56 

N.E. 

"  18 

72 

80 

E. 

Light. 

"  19 

74 

75 

.07 

Variable. 

"  20 

72 

82 

N.E. 

"  21 

72 

82 

Variable. 

"  22 

73 

84 

N. 

"  23 

70 

84 

S.W. 

"  24 

73 

85 

N. 

"  25 

75 

85 

N. 

Light. 

"  26 

75 

90 

Variable. 

"  27 

74 

85 

"  28 

73 

85 

"  29 

77 

86 

"  30 

76 

86 

"  31 

75 

85 

•12 

Sept.  1 

2 

72 

87 

N.E. 

69 

72 

1-78 

S.W. 

"  3 

70 

83 

u  4 

72 

85 

N. 

"  5 

72 

86 

6 

71 

80 

1-10 

S. 

"  7 

70 

86 

N. 

LigM. 

"  8 

75 

84 

9 

74 

74 

1-02 

S.E. 

"  10 

72 

84 

"  11 

72 

87 

N. 

"  12 

73 

86 

"  13 
u  14 

72 
72 

84 
84 

"  15 

73 

78 

N.W. 

Meteorological 


APPENDIX.  509 
Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker—  Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Rain-fall. 

Wind. 

Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

lo<l. 

• 

bept.  10 

1  ( 

70 

75 

70 

80 

lo 

70 

78 

<?•  on 

o  40 

44  in 

iy 

68 

77 

Variable. 

44  on 
40 

72 

82 

4  4  OI 

/5l 

74 

81 

VV. 

4  4  OO 
44 

72 

80 

4  4  OQ 

<5o 

72 

82 

JN. 

4  4  OJ. 

72 

83 

w. 

4  4  OK 
4o 

70 

85 

"  26 

76 

85 

44  07 

70 

78 

4o 

72 

82 

XT 
IN . 

((  OQ 

72 

82 

XT  WT 
JN.  W. 

<4  OA 

oO 

73 

82 

xt 
JN. 

UCl.  1 

73 

84 

"NT 
JN. 

44  9 

4 

71 

85 

Q 
O. 

44  q 

72 

84 

44  /I 

72 

85 

44  K 

o 

73 

84 

T  c  m  niVVo 

O 

74 

75 

90 
90 

44  rv 
< 

"  ft 

40 

OO 

b.  \V. 

44  g 

74 

80 

•90 

<5U 

"  in 

1U 

70 

90 

IT      •  11 

Variable. 

ii 

75 

86 

WT 

vv . 

44  -10 
1.5 

74 

88 

<4  lO 

lo 

75 

86 

•  1  Q 

iy 

CI  TV 
b.  VV  . 

44  1/1 
14 

72 

82 

i .  n  i 
1  Dl 

44  IK 
ID 

70 

84 

•  ny 

Q 

b. 

"  ir. 

10 

70 

85 

Variable. 

44  17 
1  < 

70 

89 

XT 

JN. 

4'  1ft 

lo 

70 

87 

XT  WT 
JN .  VV . 

44  1U 
1VJ 

73 

86 

XT 
JN. 

T  irrV>T 

44  on 
40 

74 

88 

XT 

JN. 

4  4  01 

74 

87 

b.H.. 

4  4  OO 
-5/5 

75 

84 

a 

b. 

4  4  0^ 
<5i> 

75 

82 

43 

b. 

4  4  OA 

72 

82 

43 

b. 

4  4  O^i 
40 

71 

84 

b. 

4  4  OR 

72 

82 

Variable. 

4  4  07 
Of 

72 

84 

43 
b. 

4  4  OQ 
»50 

72 

82 

WT 
VV . 

4  4  tin 
4\J 

70 

86 

Variable. 

'4  on 

74 

86 

XT 
IN . 

44  Q1 
Ol 

74 

86 

XT 
IN . 

JNOV.  1 

72 

86 

43 

b. 

Lilgllt. 

44  O 

4 

74 

87 

XT 
JN. 

4  4 

o 

rr  < 

82 

43 

b. 

44  /I 

72 

85 

Variable. 

44  C 

o 

72 

86 

b. 

4  4         f : 

76 

86 

43 

b. 

44  <y 
i 

74 

87 

Variable. 

44  Q 
O 

73 

86 

S. 

9 

73 

86 

Variable. 

"  10 

74 

88 

S. 

"  11 

74 

88 

N.E. 

"  12 

72 

84 

S. 

"  13 

76 

86 

N. 

"  14 

74 

85 

Variable. 

"  15 

75 

86 

"  16 

70 

86 

44  1? 

73 

86 

S. 

"  18 

73 

85 

N. 

"  19 

73 

86 

N.E. 

510 

Meteorological 


APPENDIX. 
Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker—  Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Rain-fall. 

Wind. 

Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1  871 
Loll. 

T 

XTrw  90 

16 

yu 

Q 
o. 

u  oi 

ioJL 

(a 

Q9 

y& 

a 

o. 

U  oo 

70 
IV 

88 
OO 

"NT 
IN . 

IV 

QO 
vV 

\  ariable. 

>V(\ 
IV 

QO 

a 
o. 

((  OK 
/SO 

"  9A 
/SO 

70 

IV 

79 

QO 

yu 

QO 

a 
o. 

o. 

u  97 

79 
la 

8Q 

oy 

VV  . 

"  28 

7Q 

8Q 

oy 

U  OQ 

i  L 

8Q 

oy 

a 

o. 

"  ^o 

70 

IV 

QO 

yu 

V 

79 

QO 

yu 

N 

u  o 
a 

7A 

to 

88 

OO 

"40 

TNT* 

O 

7A 

77 

8  W 

"  4 

<o 

SQ 
OO 

•20 

O.  VV  . 

o 

iyo 
ia 

o4 

VV  . 

"  A 
O 

79 

87 

o< 

\  ariable. 

< 

70 
(U 

QO 

•12 

1ST  17 

IX  .  12-1. 

"  8 

7J. 
l-± 

Q9 

y<* 

N. 

"  9 

7ft 
<D 

QQ 

yo 

n! 

"  in 

TO 
1.0 

QO 

yu 

V  a  I  lalJlc. 

J-l 

7A 
<D 

Q9 

o. 

"  12 

1-1 

QA 

s 

n  13 

7_t 

87 
O  1 

s. 

"  14 

70 
<U 

QO 

yu 

•26 

o. 

«  it 

JLO 

79 

88 
OO 

(j.Hj. 

"          1  A 
J.O 

70 
<u 

87 

a 
o. 

"  17 

70 
IV 

QO 

yu 

O.  VV  . 

"  18 

ID 

QO 

yu 

"Vnvin  Hip 
V  ell  la  Ulc. 

"  19 

79 

Q3 

yo 

"  20 

70 

<U 

QO 

yu 

s. 

"  21 

70 
<o 

QO 
yo 

*\7"o  ri  n  Kl  p 

"  22 

74. 
1-1 

QO 

yo 

w. 

"  23 

72 

88 

Vi  i'i  ^  hip 

V  ill  111  UiC, 

"  24 

79 
lie 

88 
OO 

— 

s. 

"  25 

DO 

87 
0 1 

N. 

"  26 

70 

IV 

QO 
yo 

n! 

"  27 

70 

lO 

88 
OO 

n! 

"  28 

SA 
OD 

Vn  Tin  1^1  p 
V  ell  IttUlC. 

"  29 

oo 

QO 
yo 

VV  . 

"  30 

AA 
DO 

88 
OO 

"Wo  vi  o  P 
V  al  laUlt, 

"  31 

AA 
DO 

88 
OO 

1872. 

Tin  1 

AO 

oy 

00 
yo 

a 

"  2 
"  3 

70 

1 V 

AQ 
D» 

QO 

yu 

QO 

yu 

„ 

"  4 

70 

92 

u 

»  5 

70 
IV 

QO 

yu 

u 

"  6 

70 
<U 

88 
OO 

u 

((  7 
i 

70 
IV 

88 
OO 

1ST 

"  8 
o 

AQ 
Do 

80 
oU 

N. 

y 

63 

82 

1ST 

"  10 

DO 

Oi 

N. 

"  11 

68 

92 

N* 

"  12 

70 

90 

— 

W. 

"  13 

70 

90 

Variable. 

"  14 

70 

88 

"  15 

70 

88 

u 

Light. 

"  16 

70 

88 

W. 

"  17 

69 

88 

s. 

"  18 

69 

90 

N. 

"  19 

66 

90 

Variable. 

"  20 

72 

92 

N. 

Strong. 

"  21 

72 

92 

S. 

"  22 

80 

86 

S. 

APPENDIX.  511 


Meteorological  Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker — Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Rain-fall. 

Wind. 

Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1872. 

I^mailia 

Jan.  23 

74 

90 

Variable. 

"  24 

80 

y~l 



«  25 

75 

89 



u 

"  26 

92 

S. 

Lat  4°  38'  N 

"  27 

77 

88 

Variable. 

Light. 

"  28 

77 

88 

N. 

"  29 

70 

QO 

N.W. 

"  30 

77 

AS 

N. 

Light. 

"  31 

75 

90 

Variable. 

JC  cU.  L 

on 

IN . 

"  2 

72 

ot 

N 

"  3 

72 

ou 

B. 

Light. 

m  4 

74 

84 

Variable. 

«  5 

70 

90 

S. 

"  6 

70 

92 

E. 

u  7 

70 

80 

S. 

Strong. 

"  8 

71 

84 

Variable 

Strong. 

«  9 

64 

84 

N. 

Lat.  4°  28'  N  

10 

64 

84 



N. 

Lat.  4°  18'  N  

"  11 

66 

88 



Variable. 

Lat.  4°  7  N 

12 

66 

90 



N. 

Light. 

{  Lat.  4°  V  N.  La- 

"  13 

70 

90 

N.N.W. 

\  bore. 

"  14 

68 

88 

N.W. 

"  15 

70 

86 

N.W. 

"  16 

74 

87 

N.N.W. 

17 

71 

81 



Variable. 

"  18 

71 

87 

W. 

"  19 

69 

90 



Variable. 

"  20 

72 

88 

N. 

Strong. 

"  21 

71 

83 

S.S.E. 

Strong. 

"  22 

68 

88 

S.E. 

"  23 

71 

OO 

N. 

M  24 

77 

ou 

N. 

"  25 

69 

80 

Variable. 

"  26 

69 

86 

N. 

"  27 

71 

86 

S. 

Strong. 

"  28 

70 

82 

"  29 

71 

80 

N. 

Strong. 

March  1 

66 

80 

N. 

"  2 

70 

89 

Variable. 

M  3 

69 

89 

Strong. 

ii  4 

69 

88 

E. 

"  5 

68 

88 
oo 

S.E. 

Lat.  3°  7'N.  Shooa. 

"  6 

68 

90 

z 

S.E. 

j  Lat.  3°  1'  N.  Fa- 

7 

69 

89 



Variable. 

"l  tiko. 

"  8 

69 

88 

N. 

44  9 

68 

Xri 

N. 

"  10 

68 

85 

E. 

"  11 

fix 

CK 
OO 

E. 

"  12 

70 

o-t 

Va  riablc. 

"  13 

70 

85 

E. 

St  re  ng. 

"  14 

70 

74 

S.E. 

44  15 

65 

77 

S.E. 

"  16 

68 

81 

E 

Stron°'. 

"  17 

70 

85 

- 

S.E. 

Strong. 

18 

70 

86 

Variable. 

19 

70 

86 

E. 

"  20 

68 

80 

E. 

»  21 

66 

80 

Variable. 

"  22 

68 

82 

E. 

\  Lat.2°16'N.At- 

"  23 

65 

80 

X.E. 

)  ada. 

u  24 

65 

80 

E. 

"  25 

66 

78 

Variable. 

"  26 

64 

80 

N. 

11  27 

68 

82 

N. 

512  APPENDIX. 


Meteorological  Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker—  Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Rain-fall. 

Wind. 

Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

(  Tnt     CO  1«l  M 
\  Ijtll.  tit     1U  iN. 

ATI  til  hi  «o 

DO 

co 
o4 

E. 

1         A  t  o  /I  n 
(  iiUULl. 

/St/ 

HA 

o4 

N.E. 

ou 

04 

to 

S  E 

U  Ol 

Ol 

04 

7fi 
<D 

N  E 

■ti.pi  11  1 

u  2 

04 

»G 
oU 

S. 

Light. 

lid 
DO 

78 
<0 

•  23 

S.E. 

"  3 

D4 

KG 

s.e! 

"  4 

DO 

7Q 
it) 

1*50 

E. 

«  5 

D4 

78 
<0 

S.E. 

"  6 

DO 

art 
OU 

•07 

E. 

k  7 

04 

7Q 

E. 

K  g 

DO 

art 
ou 

•16 

e! 

"  9 

00 

7a 
to 

N.E. 

"  10 

04 

TO 

<o 

•73 

"Vo  vii  1 

00 

art 

ou 

•75 

fl 
o. 

Stnvf'Pfl  for  Mfisinrli 

"  12 

ou 

7^ 
«o 

•23 

s. 

13 

DO 

<D 

•50 

Variable. 

"  i-t 

04 

7fi 
<D 

E 

-  15 

DO 

78 
<o 

V  til  ItlulC. 

"  10 

04 

ou 

E. 

"  17 

DO 

7U 

S.E. 

"  18 

Do 

art 
ou 

S.E. 

"  19 

04 

78 
io 

•23 

S.E. 

"  20 

DO 

KG 
OU 

S.E. 

"  21 

04 

art 
ou 

•48 

s!e." 

« i  22 

DO 

78 
(O 

s. ' 

"  23 

65 

78 
to 

s. 

Light. 

"  24 

PA. 
D"± 

78 

<o 

E. 

(  T/it  1°  45'  N 

"  25 

PA 
D4 

78 

<o 

•  23 

E. 

Arrivpfl  nt,  Mfminrli 

A\l  HI            tt  L  lUUOUIUl! 

i      TVT  o  c  1 1 1  r  1  i 
(  lyiitbiutii* 

"  20 

OA 
Or 

7Q 

E. 

"  27 

04 

78 
(0 

•26 

e! 

"  28 

OA 
Lr± 

79 

E. 

"  29 

64 

79 

•18 

e! 

"  30 

Gl 

o± 

<o 

•64 

S.E. 

2 

G9 
D^ 

71 

•14 

w.s.w. 

fvd. 

D± 

79 

s.  w. 

u  3 

G9 
O<0 

79 

S.E. 

u  ^ 

fiG 
ou 

7^ 

Light. 

«  5 

ou 

7J. 

s.  w. 

k'  6 

0»3 

7rt 
<U 

s. 

Ci  7 

61 

70 

s! 

"  8 

fiG 
OU 

71 

S.E. 

"  9 

G9 

7^ 
lO 

S.E. 

u  iq 

fiG 
uu 

71 

S.  " 

n  n 

60 

71 

s! 

a  12 

01 

lO 

g" 

a  \-} 

O.J 

7s; 
<o 

.82 

g" 

n  j4 

KG 

DU 

71 

S.E. 

"  15 

OU 

7Q 

w. 

"  10 

OU 

71 

•51 

s.  w. 

"  17 

fiG 
OU 

7rt 

<U 

•  10 

s!  wl 

"  18 

OU 

7rt 

•56 

a 
o. 

Light. 

a  19 

0«7 

7rt 

s.w. 

"  20 

60 

71 

•22 

s  w 

"  21 

59 

70 

s!w! 

«  22 

59 

70 

•30 

w. 

Strong. 

"  23 

60 

72 

•36 

s. 

Strong. 

"  24 

59 

71 

•10 

N.E. 

"  25 

59 

71 

N.W. 

"  26 

65 

69 

•30 

Variable. 

"  27 

63 

72 

•80 

W. 

Light. 

"  28 

64 

69 

•23 

W. 

"  29 

64 

72 

1-00 

w. 

"  30 

62 

72 

s. 

"  31 

60 

70 

•60 

s. 

APPENDIX. 


513 


Meteorological  Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker — Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date 

Wind. 

Rain.— Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1872. 

June 

1 

A/1 

7J. 
<4 

s. 

2 

A/I 

04 

AQ 

s.  w. 

3 

OA 
04 

74. 
<•* 

s. 

4 

AK 
DO 

7A 
id 

s". 

5 

62 

w. 

Strong. 

6 

04 

70 

w. 

7 
8 

04 

70 
<o 

N.E. 

"Pit  ilrrt 

9 
10 

Aug. 

11 

DO 

7^ 
•  o 

N. 

T?'i in prl  hfirrl 

11  ill  11^  LI    11  CI  114. 

12 

A<^ 
OO 

7^ 
<  O 

N*. 

13 

OO 

8A 
OO 

n! 

Light. 

14 

A/1 

o± 

7^ 

to 

n! 

"Rsnnorl  lipnvilv  nt  nurlit. 

ItiNIM    U     ll^cl  >  11 J     Ut    1114111  L. 

15 

A  \ 

04 

8Q 
OO 

n! 

"Rninpfl  in  flip  niirl^t 

iAtll  Uv,  VI    111    LHV^  11111111;. 

16 

AQ 
DO 

8Q 
OO 

n! 

17 

AQ 

Oo 

8Q 
Oo 

n! 

18 

AK 
OO 

78 

s. 

"RninPfl  in  flip  nidi  I" 

1V*1                       111     LIU.'    11  ILL  11  L* 

i  i 

19 

AQ 

Oo 

78 

lO 

N. 

T?*iinpH  in  flip  nio'lit" 

IVlIIIII.  VI   111    Lilt  lilJ^llL- 

u 

20 

AK 
OO 

8Q 
OO 

n! 

it 

21 

65 

84 

22 

OO 

7Q 

s. 

Heavy  rain  at  night. 

u 

23 

AA 
OO 

84 

s. 

T.icrht  vnin 

ljli^lll  Icllll. 

«  A 

24 

Ad. 
04 

so 

OD 

N. 

Raijied  at  niglit. 

25 

oo 

80 

n! 

FTpjiw  vnin 

llvtl  *  J     1  ill  1 J  . 

26 

66 

80 

n! 

Rained  in  the  night. 

27 

AA 
OO 

80 

OO 

n! 

Heavy  rain. 

28 

AA 
DO 

80 

N. 

T-i'iiiiprl  in  flip  nio'lit 

JV<IIIJV  '1    111    LillV/  lll&llll'. 

29 

04 

80 

n! 

Showery. 

30 

A&C 
DO 

8Q 

OO 

n! 

Rained  all  night. 

31 

OO 

83 

N. 

Sept. 

1 

63 

78 

N. 

j  Li^ht  rain  from  1  p.m.  till 
i     5  p.m.,  and  at  night. 

o 
2 

AA 
OO 

70 

N. 

Rained  all  the  afternoon. 

3 

AA 
OO 

SiO 

ou 

n! 

4 

AQ 
Oo 

80 
OO 

N. 

TToaw  vo in  nt  nio*lii" 

llbdy  V   1(1111  civ  HILLUV. 

5 

AA 
DO 

80 

S.' 

T  i<rlit  viin  rlnvin(r  flip  flnv 
-Ljl^llL  I  .1111  UUI            L11U  vlclj  . 

6 

AA 
OO 

70 

w. 

Showery. 

7 

06 

79 

N." 

A  shower  in  the  night. 

8 

AA 
OO 

70 

1  if 

n! 

A  shower  in  the  night. 

9 

AA 
OO 

8A 
OO 

10 

AO 
0/4 

8A 
OO 

11 

AQ 
OO 

70 

N. 

TTpovv  vnin  Pfivlv 

II*.  tl*   >     1U.111    Ltll  1  V  , 

12 

66 

86 

S. 

(i 

13 

AA 
DO 

8A 
OD 

s! 

14 

AA 

DO 

8A 
00 

N. 

15 

AA 

DO 

86 

Variable. 

A  qVi  nwpv 

2\    0 1 1  l_J  W  Ksl  . 

16 

AA 
00 

SA 
00 

E. 

Ruined  during  the  night. 

17 

AQ 
Oo 

04 

E. 

TTonvv  voi  n  nt  niirlit 

A.1L/11  >         1  ill  11    cl  \j  IJlc^Uu. 

18 

A  A 

OO 

sr. 

OO 

N.  W. 

81it>'lit  vnin  of  niir)il" 

OIl^llL  Icllll  <XL  Illi^lll. 

19 

AA 

OO 

sr. 

OO 

Variable. 

20 

AQ 
OO 

80 

OO 

N. 

A  shower. 

(t 

21 

AA 
DO 

8A 
OO 

N.W. 

(C 

22 

66 

88 

23 

66 

74 

N. 

Light  rain  during  the  night. 

24 

66 

80 

N. 

u 

25 

66 

80 

Variable. 

26 

65 

80 

S.E. 

Slight  rain  at  night. 

27 

66 

84 

N.W. 

28 

66 

86 

N.W. 

29 

65 

85 

S.E. 

Heavy  rain  at  night. 

u 

30 

63 

84 

S.E. 

Heavy  rain  at  night. 

Oct. 

1 

65 

84 

Variable. 

Rained  during  the  night. 

2 

66 

84 

N.W. 

i  i 

3 

66 

86 

S.E. 

,14 


APPENDIX. 


Meteorological  Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker—  Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Wind. 

Rain. — Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1872. 

E. 

Cint  A 

66 

on 
8b 

O 

72 

86 

E. 

"  ft 

D 

70 

88 

E. 

u  7 
• 

0 

72 
7:3 

90 
90 

S.E. 
E. 

.f 

72 

80 

N*. 

1U 

63 

81 

n! 

Light  rain  at  night. 

"  11 

63 

o  i 

o4 

Variable. 

Light  rain  at  night. 

"  12 

66 

84 

t  ( 

j  Heavy  shower  in  afternoon, 

{    and  light  at  night. 

"  13 

DO 

t< 

Rained  during  the  night. 

DO 

Qft 

oD 

a 

"  15 

ftft 
DO 

Si  J. 

o-t 

u 

A  shower  at  night. 

"  16 

65 

86 

E. 

Light  rain  at  night. 

1  1 

66 

77 

N. 

Light  rain  at  night. 

«  1ft 

66 

oD 

n! 

A  shower  at  night. 

u  1Q 

1«7 

66 

79 

Variable. 

Rained  during  the  night. 

"  20 

64 

79 

N. 

j  From  3.30  p.m.  till  6  p.m., 

1     and  during  the  night. 

"  2! 

DO 

ft1 
ol 

N 

"  22 

DD 

Q1 

ol 

N.  light. 

"  23 

DD 

8ft 

oD 

E.  sti*on(r. 

"  24 

72 

Qft 

yu 

Variable 

it  OrK 

Qft 

yu 

N. 

"  26 

72 

Qft 

oD 

n! 

"  27 

64 

ryiy 
t  ( 

Variable. 

Rained  during  the  night. 

'«  9ft 
/SO 

62 

79 

Heavy  rain  during  the  night. 

"  29 

63 

80 

(  Rained  for  two  hours  heav- 
j     ily  in  the  evening. 

"  30 

61 

" 

i  Rained  for  an  hour  and  a 

79 

)     half  in  the  evening. 

"  ^1 

Ol 

65 

82 

S.E. 

Nov.  1 

66 

86 

S.E. 

"  2 

Do 

o± 

E. 

"  3 

ftft 
DD 

SL± 

(y± 

E. 

"  4 

ftft 
DD 

Qft 

N*. 

"  5 

7>> 

Qft 

E.  b}'  S. 

6 

61 

1 

88- 

S.E. 
stron°" 

7 

DO 

Oft 

yu 

S.E.  ' 

u  g 

66 

88 

X.J .    oil  I'Uil. 

9 

79 

Qft 

E. 

14  10 

72 

( 

90 

( 

Variable 
Li  "lit 

1 

"  11 

ftft 

DO 

ftft 

E.  strong. 

u  12 

61 

86 

"  13 

Ol 

oo 

"  14 

ftl 

OX 

ftft 
oo 

"  15 

DD 

on 

yu 

\  Heavy  rain  in  afternoon,  and 
j     shower  at  night. 

"  16 

66 

86 

N.  light. 

"  17 

63 

72 

N.E. 

i  T.iirht  viiin  for  two  hours  in 
(     the  night. 

K         1  ft 

60 

75 

V  til  111 LHL. 

19 

63 

84 

S.E. 

"  20 

66 

84 

E. 

u  21 

61 

84 

E.  strong. 

"  22 

63 

86 

"  23 

66 

90 

E.  light. 

u 

"  24 

65 

90 

"  25 

66 

80 

Variable. 

j  Light  rain  for  three  hours 
j     in  the  night. 

"  26 

61 

84 

S.E. 

j  Heavy  rain  for  an  hour  in 
I     the  evening. 

"  27 

65 

82 

S. 

Steady  light  rain  all  night. 

APPENDIX. 


515 


Meteorological  Register  kept  by  Lady  R.kkzr— Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Wind. 

Rain.— Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1872. 



Nov.  28 

65 

79 

S.E. 

Rained  during  the  ui^ht. 
Heavy  rain  in  the  evening. 

"  "  29 

65 

84 

s!e! 

"  30 

66 

84 

s. 

Dec.  1 

66 

86 

Variable. 

Rained  during  the  night. 

w  2 

OO 

88 

E 

"  3 

66 

88 

e' 

m  4 

72 

86 

Variable 

5 

66 

80 

S.E. 

11  6 

06 

86 

Variable. 

\  Heavy  rain  for  two  and  a  half 
*(  hours. 

u  7 

66 

86 

"  8 

66 

84 

at 

Litjht  at  night. 

"  9 

66 

80 

E. 

(  Rained  for  two  hours  in  af- 

(     ternoon,  and  at  night. 

M  10 

66 

84 

Variable 

A  light  shower. 

*«  11 

UU 

o-t 

M 

M  lO 

79 
■a 

oo 

S.E. 

"  13 

72 

r 

88, 
( 

s.e! 

Stron0-. 

"  14 

62 

86| 

S.E° 
Strong. 

"  15 

63 

88 

S  E 

"  16 

66 

86 

s!e! 

"  17 

63 

88 

S.E. 

"  18 

60 

86 
ou 

S.E. 

"  19 

61 

86 

S.E. 

u  20 

61 

86 

S.E. 

"  21 

66 

88 

S.E. 

"  22 

63 

89 

s'e. 

"  23 

66 

88 

Variable. 

"  24 

66 

88 

S.E. 

\  Lisjht  shower  in  the  even- 

" 25 

72 

88 
oo 

S.E. 

's     in°"  and  heavv  rain  frorn 
/    3.30  p.m.  till  6  p.m. 

"  26 

66 

N 

Liijht  shower  in  the  rooming. 

"  27 

66 

81 

n! 

Light  in  the  afternoon. 

"  28 

66 

79 

N. 

"  29 

63 

79 

Variable 

"  30 

66 

79 

« 

.   "  31 

66 

79 

« 

1873. 

JclU.  1 

66 

79 

N.  strong. 

"  2 

61 

80 

Variable. 

"  3 

63 

84 

"  4 

66 

oo 

E. 

"  5 

UU 

OO 

E. 

M  g 

66 

oo 

e! 

U  (J- 

UU 

oc 
oo 

N*. 

"  8 
"  9 

66 
66 

88 
86 

T    ill  Itl  Ult^ 

N 

"  10 

DO 

n! 

M  11 

QX 

7Q 

N.W. 

"  12 

uo 

ou 

n!  w! 

w  13 

66 

88 

N  E 

14 

66 

79 

n.'e.' 

"  15 

63 

66 

N.W. 

"  16 

63 

77 

N.W. 

u  17 

66 

81 

Variable. 

"  18 

66 

86 

E. 

"  19 

66 

86 

E. 

"  20 

64 

86 

E.  strong. 

»«  21 

64 

86 

"  22 

63 

88 

"  23 

68 

88 

Variable. 

"  24 

70 

90 

E. 

516 


APPENDIX. 


Meteorological  Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker — Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Wind. 

Rain.— Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1ft73 

Jan.  25 

DO 

ft3 
Do 

uo 
OO 

E. 

"  9ft 

ftft 
OO 

io.  Hi. 

"  27 

Do 

on 

N.W. 

"  28 

ftft 
Oo 

ftft 

OO 

N.E.* 

"  29 

66 

88  -S 
88* 

S.E.' 

t(  3Q 

ftft 

DD 

OO 

TT,  ctvnno* 

Hi.  B  LI  \Jllg. 

ol 

Do 

ftft 

OO 

Feb.  1 

ftft 
DO 

ft  ft 

OO 

Vi  vi  n  V»l  p 

n  2 

ftft 
DD 

ftft 

OO 

3 

68 

84 

Variable. 

j  Rained  twenty  minutes  in 
/  afternoon. 

w  4 

D-t 

ftft 

OO 

(< 

Light  rain  at  night. 

"  5 

79 

ftft 

OO 

E. 

"  6 

79 

yo 

V  ill  Ja U1U. 

"  7 

79. 

90 

E. 

"  8 

72 

88 

e! 

"  9 

ftft 
Do 

ftft 
oo 

e! 

"  10 

ftft 
DD 

E. 

"  11 

ftft 
DO 

yo 

E. 

"  12 

ftft 
DO 

yo 

E. 

ftft 
DO 

ftft 

OO 

Xj.   B  II  Ulli^. 

"  14 

79 

ftft 

OO 

V*i  vi  n  hi  p 

V  til  Id  JJJ.L-. 

"  15 

79 
la 

Q9 

"  16 

ftft 
DO 

Q9 

E, 

ftft 
Do 

yo 

E. 

"  18 

79 

yo 

e! 

u  19 

ftft 
DO 

ftft 
oo 

Vi  .  oil  KJllg. 

"  20 

79 

ftfi 
oo 

"  21 

fiQ 
Dd 

ftl 

O-x 

a 

"  22 

Aft 
OD 

ftft 
OD 

N.N.W. 

"  23 

ftft 
OO 

88 

N.W. 

"  24 

72 

88 

n!w. 

"  25 

7? 

ftft 
oo 

Variable. 

"  26 

7^ 

90 

u 

"  27 

79 

Qn 
yo 

S.E. 

"  28 

fift 
DO 

86 

s!e! 

lVTiivpli  1 

±r  A  ill  v.  11  X 

ftft 
Do 

ftfi 
oo 

Variable. 

Slight  shower  in  afternoon. 

"  2 

ftft 
Do 

ftft 
oo 

A  shower. 

"  3 

ftft 
OO 

ftft 
oo 

(< 

A  heaw  shower. 

"  4 

ftft 
OO 

ftft 
oo 

E. 

A  shower. 

"  5 

ftf\ 
OO 

88 

v*i  vi  'liii  p 

V  *.*  1  111  LI  IV./. 

"  6 

ftft 

OO 

86 

Light  shower  at  4.30  p.m. 

U  IJ» 

"  8 

ftft 

OO 

ftft 
DO 

90 

S.E. 
N.W. 

Two  showers. 

"  9 

7^ 
to 

90 

vi  i  HI  p 

T  ll  I  ltl  Ulv. 

»  10 

72 

88 

N  W 

"  11 

66 

88 

N.wl 

"  12 

72 

88 

N. 

"  13 

68 

86 

Variable. 

"  14 

ftft 

00 

ftft 
oo 

S. 

A  shower. 

"  15 

ftS 

Do 

ftj. 
o<± 

S.E. 

"  16 

ftft 
Do 

OA 

<y± 

N.W. 

Lisi'ht  shower. 

"  17 

66 

72 

V  <X1  ItlUlU 

TI(jnvv  rnin  nt.  nic^ht, 

18 

72 

81 

N.W. 

"  19 

68 

84 

N.W. 

"  20 

66 

On  the  march . 

"  21 
"  22 
"  23 
"  24 
"  25 

66 

93 

s.w. 

"  26 

72 

95 

Variable. 

"  27 

81 

84 

"  28 

72 

93 

E. 

A  heavy  shower. 

APPENDIX.  517 
Meteokological  Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker — Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Wind. 

Rain.— Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1873. 

On  the  nitU'cli . 

March  29 

72 

95 

Variable. 

A  heavy  shower. 

"  30 

72 

93 

"  31 

75 

92 

a 

T*i  m  ii  il  1  :i 

April  1 

M  2 

75 

95 

u 

72 

93 

Variable. 

"  3 

75 

93 

E.  strong. 

Slight  rain. 

u  4 

72 

95 

Slight  rain. 

"  5 

75 

86 

S.W. 

"  6 

75 

91 

s.w. 

ii  7 

79 

93 

s. 

"  8 

88 

Variable. 

Light  rain. 

"  9 

75 

88 

S.W. 

"  10 

77 

97 

N .  W. 

"  11 

75 

97 

E 

lt  12 

77 

95 

S.' 

"  13 

79 

91 

w. 

"  14 

75 

91 

s." 

"  15 

77 

93 

s.w. 

• 

"  16 

77 

77 

Variable. 

17 

72 

91 

"  18 

75 

77 

S.W. 

Li°'ht  shower. 

"  19 

72 

93 

N. ' 

Steady  rain. 

20 

75 

86 

S. 

"  21 

75 

91 

S. 

Rain  at  night. 

"  22 
"  23 

75 
75 

95 
88 

Variable. 
S. 

Light  steady  rain. 
A  heavy  shower. 

«  24 

72 

79 

Variable. 

Steady  rain  all  night. 

"  25 

75 

88 

"  26 

75 

88 

S. 

Heavy  rain  at  night. 

"  27 

77 

79 

S. 

Light  rain. 

«  28 

73 

84 

Variable. 

"  29 

75 

88 

S. 

"  30 

75 

79 

Variable. 

Light  rain  at  night. 

May  1 

"  2 

72 

88 

75 

91 

N.  light. 

"  3 

75 

88 

S.  strong. 

ii  4 

75 

80 

Variable. 

j  Light  rain  for  three  hours 

1     in  the  morning. 

"  5 

75 

91 

Light  shower. 

"  6 

77 

91 

S. 

Shower  at  niii'ht. 

u  7 

72 

81 

s. 

j  Heav}r  rain  from  3  a.m.  till 
(    9  a.m. 

"  8 
"  9 

75 
79 

91 

93 

s. 
s! 

"  10 

75 

88 

s. 

Heavy  shower  at  night. 

"  11 

90 

Variable. 

"  12 

77 

90 

S. 

A  shower  at  night. 

"  13 

75 

73 

N.E. 

(  Heavv  rain  from  9  a.m.  till 
(    4.30  p.m. 

"  14 

74. 

CU 
OO 

S. 

"  15 

CQ 
OO 

S.  light. 

"  16 

75 

95 

ii 

75 

OO 

u 

«  iy 

74 

75 

N.E. 

Slight  rain. 

19 

73 

84 

S.  light. 

"  20 

73 

91 

Variable. 

Slight  shower. 

"  21 

73 

84 

S. 

"  22 

74 

84 

S. 

"  23 

75 

88 

S. 

"  24 

73 

88 

S. 

Heavy  rain  all  night. 

"  25 

75 

88 

S. 

Heavy  rain  all  night. 

White  Nile,  on 

"  26 

70 

88 

S. 

passage  to 

"  27 

70 

79 

S. 

Heavy  rain  in  the  night. 

Khartoum. 

"  28 

75 

86 

Variable. 

"  29 

79 

88 

A  shower. 

518 


APPENDIX. 


Meteorological  Register  kept  by  Lady  Baker—  Continued. 


Thermometer. 

Place. 

Date. 

Wind. 

Rain.— Remarks. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

1873. 

\\  lute  Nile,  on 

May 

30 

t" 

oO 

— 

V  ariable. 

passage  to 

u 

31 

<0 

QA 

o± 

o. 

Khartoum. 

\\  lute  jm  lie .... 

June 

1 

1 5 

o4 

O.  llglll. 

u 

2 

to 

OA 

Q 
O. 

3 

to 

OO 

q 
o. 

4 

iu 

OU 

IN .  W  . 

-Light  ram  all  clay. 

rsani  ijrii ane . . . 

5 

to 

o4 

4  4 

6 

o4 

c 
o. 

7 

75 

84 

Variable. 

XT                    •       •  4V 

Heavy  rain  in  aiternoon. 

8 

7H 

o± 

43 

o. 

9 

7^ 
lO 

OU 

\  ariable. 

,T 

V  cry  heavy  rain. 

10 

75 

OO 

Q 
O. 

11 

OO 

43, 
o. 

12 

<o 

oo 

fl 

o. 

13 

oO 

43 
O. 

14 

79 

86 

a 

15 

79 

86 

s. 

16 

77 

4  4 

oo 

N. 

17 

77 
<  < 

424? 

oO 

V  al  hlUlt. 

18 

'  < 

co 
oo 

c 
o. 

w  line  js  lie .... 

19 

7s; 
75 

OO 

a 
o. 

20 

7^ 

4.1 

OO 

XT 
IN . 

• 

Heav}T  ram  at  night. 

21 

7U 

G7 

87 

a 
o. 

22 

77 
4  4 

oO 

43 
O. 

XT  • 

Heavy  rain  at  night. 

u 

23 

4242 

oO 

43 
O. 

24 

7Q 

OO 

43 

C5. 

25 
20 

IO 

79 

OO 

88 

N\  strong. 

43 

Light  ram. 

27 

79 

88 

o. 

Variable. 

Light  rain. 

28 

75 

86 

N. 

Khartoum  

29 

79 

90 

S. 

30 

79 

90 

S. 

July 

1 

79 

90 

s. 

2 

79 

92 

s. 

3 

82 

91 

s. 

4 

84 

92 

s. 

u 

5 

79 

91 

Variable. 

6 

84 

93 

W. 

44 

7 

79 

85 

s. 

* 


APPENDIX. 


51U 


s 

1 

Also  N.W.  5  days ;  and  W.  6  days. 
And  N.  6  days. 

And  N.  7  days. 

And  variable  15  days ;  and  S.  4  days. 
And  S.  4  days. 

And  S.E.  6  days ;  and  N.  5  days. 
And  S.E.  9  days ;  and  S.  5  days, 
j  And  S.W.  7  davs;  and  S.E." 4  days; 
'     and  W.  4  davs. 

j  Only  the  first  7  days  in  June  were 

noted. 
Only  from  August  11th. 
And  4  days  N.W. 
And  E.  6  days ;  and  S.E.  3  days. 
And  S.E.  6  days. 

j  And  N.  4  days;  N.W.  4  days;  N.E. 
j    3  days. 

And  S.W.  5  days. 
And  N.  4  days. 

Only  for  the  first  7  days  in  July. 

Number 
of  Days  on 

which 
this  Wind, 
blew. 

t>  £ 

0  02  02  02 

Number 
of  Dtivs  on 

which 
Rain  fell. 

i 

1-7 
7-1 
1-51 
Nil. 
•98 

Nil. 
Nil. 
Nil. 
6- 19 

004 

i 

%%%%%  m%%  £  g  83888    8  g&&g8§ 

i 

8  1  1  1  1    Mill    1   II  II  1     1   II  II  1  1 

i 

s 

i 

i 

^111     1  1  1  1    1     1    II  II  1      1    II  1  II  1 

i 

I 

1 
a 

hiii  iiiii  i'  iiiii  iite 

i 

Ismailia  and  Fatiko.. 
Fatiko  and  Atada   .  . 
Atada  and  Masindi . . 

t 

White  Nile  and  Khar- 
toum. 

520 


APPENDIX. 


Meteorological  Register. — Tewfikeeyaii,  Lat.  9°  25'  15".  1870. 


Month. 

Mean  Temperature,  Fahr. 

Rain-fall. 

6  A.M. 

Noon. 

Days  heavy. 

Days  light. 

73-3 
72-3 

92-2 
86-5 

3 
5 

4 

6 

Meteorological  Register  kept  at  Tewfikeeyaii,  on  tiie  White  Nile,  Lati- 
tude 9°  25'  15"  N.,  in  1870,  by  Lieutenant  Julian  A.  Baker,  R.  N.,  during 
Sir  S.  W.  Baker's  Khedive  Expedition. 


Date. 

Aneroid. 

Thermom- 
eter. 

Wind. 

Force. 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

Inches. 

July  23 

-  A.M. 

28 -56 

73° 

S. 

2 

-  P.M. 

•55 

80 

s.w. 

r- 

tor 

v.  4.  1. 

"  24 

-  A.M. 

•60 

73 

Sly." 

2 

c.  0. 

-  P.M. 

Sly. 

3 

0.  r. 

"  25 

6  A.M. 

•65 

71 

Sly. 

2 

c. 

6  P.M. 

•58 

80 

Sly. 

2 

b.  c. 

"  26 

6  A.M. 

"62 

73 

Calm 

o 

b.  c. 

6  P.M. 

•55 

78 

S. 

1 

b.  c. 

"  27 

-  A.M. 

DO 

73 

o. 

b.  c. 

6  P.M. 

•51 

79 

Calm. 

o 

b.  c. 

Rained  heavily  in  night. 

"  28 

6  A.M. 

*62 

72 

S.  W'y- 

2 

b.  c.  t. 

"  29 

6  A.M. 

*60 

75 

S.W. 

2 

b.  c. 

N'y- 

3 

(  Hard  rain  for  two  hours 

P.M. 

— 

— 

c.  r. 

j     in  the  afternoon. 

"  30 

6  A.M. 

*56 

73 

S. 

2 

b.  c. 

(5  P.M. 

•50 

73 

s' 

2 

c.  r. 

Rained  from  12|  to  2£  p.m. 

"  31 

6  A.M. 

78 

\^cll  III. 

o 

Noon. 

•54 

78 

s. 

2 

bC'c. 

1  TVff>nn<;  nf  Q  flnvi'  nhsprvn- 

6  P.M. 

•47 

78 

Calm. 

0 

b.  c. 

a     tions:   aneroid,  28  57; 

(     thermometer,  75°  1'. 

Aug.  1 

6  A.M. 

•56 

73 

0 

b.  c. 

Noon. 

•56 

79 

S.W. 

1 

b.  c. 

6  P.M. 

•55 

74 

S.W. 

2 

c.  0.  r. 

Drizzle  from  2  to  5  p.m. 

((  o 

6  A.M. 

•60 

73 

Calm. 

0 

c. 

Noon. 

•60 

77 

S.E. 

2 

b.  c. 

Drizzle  from  7  to  9|  a.m. 

6  P.M. 

•52 

78 

S.W. 

4 

b.  c. 

"  3 

6  A.M. 

•56 

73 

Calm. 

0 

0.  c. 

Rain  from  8  to  9  a.m. 

6  P.M. 

•53 

78 

S.W. 

1 

b.  e. 

6  A.M. 

•58 

75 

Calm. 

0 

b.  c. 

6  P.M. 

•48 

79 

S. 

2 

b.  c. 

"  5 

6  A.M. 

•52 

75 

Calm. 

0 

b.  c. 

6  P.M. 

•42 

83 

0 

b.  c. 

"  6 

6  A.M. 

•54 

74 

0 

b.  c. 

Noon. 

•50 

83 

0 

b.  c. 

S  Rain  from  1  to  2  a.m., 
j     r.  c.  q.  1. 1. 

6  P.M. 

•50 

75 

N.W. 

1 

c.  0. 

Drizzle  from  2  to  5  p.m. 

u  7 

6  A.M. 

•56 

73 

N. 

1 

b.  c. 

Noon. 

N.W. 

3 

b.  e. 

Slight  rain  from  7  to  8  p.m. 

"  8 

6  A.M. 

•55 

72 

Calm. 

0 

1).  c. 

-  P.M. 

N.W. 

2 

b.  c. 

"  9 

6  A.M. 

•54 

76 

Calm. 

0 

b.  e. 

('»  P.M. 

•48 

79 

S.E. 

3 

c.  r. 

Rain  from  5|  to  6  p.m. 

"  10 

6  A.M. 

•56 

73 

N.W. 

3 

c. 

Noon. 

•56 

74 

N.W. 

5 

c.  d. 

Slight  drizzle  in  afternoon. 
(  Means  of  11  days'  observa- 

"  11 

6  A.M. 

•56 

74 

Calm. 

.0 

b.  c. 

■l     tions:   aneroid,  28*54; 
(    thermometer,  76°. 

APPENDIX. 


521 


Meteorological  Register  kept  at  Tewfikeeyaii,  on  the  White  Nile,  Lati- 
tude 9°  25'  15"  N.,  in  1870,  by  Lieutenant  Julian  A.  Baker,  R.  N.,  during 
Sir  S.  W.  Baker's  Khedive  Expedition—  Continued. 


Date. 

Aneroid. 

Thermom- 

Wind. 

Force. 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

Inches. 

oept.  4 
o 

b  A.M. 

28-  02 

73° 

Calm. 

0 

C. 

•60 

75 

0 

b.  c. 

Rain  from  2\  to  3£  p.m. 

0 

(i 

•57 

77 

0 

b.  c. 

Noon. 



N.E. 

4 

c.  r. 

Rain  from  9  to  12  a.m. 

6  P.M. 





S.E. 

3 

r. 

Rain  from  5 \  to  7  p.m. 

H  7 
1 

t)  A.M. 

•63 

74 

Calm. 

0 

b.  c. 

Noon. 





S.E. 

3 

b.  c. 

0  P.M. 

•52 

78 

Calm. 

0 

b.  c. 

"  8 

6  A.M. 

•60 

75 

u 

0 

b.  c. 

9 

•61 

75 

0 

f. 

Rain  from  9  to  9J  a.m. 

Noon. 

S. 

6 

b.  c. 

"  10 

0  A.M. 

•54 

76 

S. 

1 

b.  c. 

0  P.M. 

"58 

t  u 

Pol  1-11 

u 

Vi  o 

u  11 

6  A.M. 

•63 

74 

0 

b.  c. 

0  P.M. 

S.E. 

2 

b.  c. 

Rain  from  2  to  2$  p.m. 

"  12 

6  A.M. 

•65 

76 

N.E. 

1 

b.  c. 

Noon. 

N.E. 

5  to  8 

c.  p.  q. 

Hard  rain  from  2  to  3  p.m. 

6  P.M. 

N.E. 

1 

b.  c. 

M  13 

6  A.M. 

•67 

74 

Calm. 

0 

b.  c. 

Noon. 

S. 

4 

b.  c. 

6  P.M. 

S. 

3 

b.  c. 

"  14 

6  A.M. 

•64 

75 

N. 

1 

b.  c. 

j  Means  of  12  days'  observa- 

"  15 

•62 

76 

N. 

1 

b.  e. 

•<     tions :   aneroid,  28.61; 
(     thermometer,  75°  3'. 

General  Average  of  Aneroid  and  Thermometer. 

For  9davsinJulv    28-57   —  75-1 

"   11     "      August   -54   —  76- 

"  12     "      September   -61   —  75-3 


528 


APPENDIX. 


ilillllisiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiif 


mi 


.  coS 

-is 


r-IOSUO      i>       £      CO  00  r-l  00  0?  50  00  00  50  o5  CC  ?C  03  J>  CJ  «5  OS 


00  CO  00  i§  i>  §D  CO  ©4  30  00<MO500^«CO»04»»S«Dr-ISOOSQO 

immmmmimmmmm 


Hill? 


llillii 


O'-'-t'^CO^Or-'OOCSO^WrW 


#f  I3  5  33  |3  3  s  |3  35  3  33  52  !3  3  3  3  3  Is  5  3  f|4f 


APPENDIX. 


523 


The  corrections  required  to  be  applied  to  the  readings  of  the  hypsometers 
were  found  at  the  Kew  Observatory  to  be  as  follows : 


Date. 

No.  4693. 

No.  9582. 

No.  9584. 

At  205  deg. 

At  212  deg. 

At  205  deg. 

At  212  deg. 

At  205  deg. 

At  212  deg. 

1869.  May 
1868.  November 
1873.  December. 

-0-05 

+0  10 

"':6o 

+6:is 

• 

+6:20 

-o-io 

+6:20 

+6:20 
-010 

The  following  corrections  have  been  used  in  reducing  the  heights  in  col- 
umn B  ;  they  are  based  upon  the  latest  verifications : 


No.  4693. 

No.  9582. 

No.  9584. 

o 

O 

0 

At  212 

0-00 

-0 

10 

-0  10 

"  211 

-002 

-o- 

11 

-o-io 

"  210 

-0  04 

-0 

11 

-0-10 

"  209 

-006 

-0 

12 

-010 

"  208 

-0-08 

-0 

13 

-o-io 

"  207 

-011 

-o- 

13 

-0-10 

"  206 

-0  13 

-0 

14 

-o-io 

"  205 

-0  15 

-0 

15 

-010 

The  atmospheric  pressure  at  the  sea-level  has,  in  calculating  the  heights 
in  column  B,  been  assumed  the  same  as  that  shown  on  Buchau's  "  Isobaric 
Charts;"  and  the  temperature  of  the  air  there,  the  same  as  that  shown  on 
Dov6's  "  Isothermal  Charts." 

The  heights  in  column  A  were  calculated  on  the  spot,  and  are  generally 
greater  than  those  in  column  B. 

Buchau's  "Isobaric  Charts  of  the  World "  furnish  the  following  data  for 
the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  at  the  sea-level,  in  inches  of  mercury  at  the 
temperature  of  32°  Fahrenheit,  over  the  countries  extending  from  Egypt  to 
the  Equator: 


Months. 

Lat.  20  deg.  N. 

Lat.  10  deg.  N. 

Lat.  0. 

30-0 

29-9 

29-8 

30  0 

29  9 

29-8 

30  0 

29  9 

298 

29  9 

29-8 

29  8 

29-8 

29-8 

29-8 

29-7 

29-7 

29-9 

July  

29-7 

29-7 

29  9 

29-7 

29-7 

29-8 

29-8 

29-8 

29-8 

29  9 

29-9 

298 

November  

30  0 

299 

29-8 

30  0 

299 

29-8 

Dove's  "Thermal  Charts  of  the  World"  furnish,  on  the  following  page,  the 
data  for  the  mean  temperature  of  the  air  at  the  sea-level,  for  the  coast  of 
the  same  region  : 


524 


APPENDIX. 


Months. 


Lnt.  20  deg.  N. 


Lat.  10  deg.  N.  j        Lat.  0. 


o 


O 


o 


January . 
February 


69 
77 
80 
86 
86 
86 
90 
86 
86 
86 
77 
72 


77 
80 
85 
si; 
86 
86 
85 
85 
82 
82 
s:> 
77 


79 
83 
85 
85 
82 
80 
79 
79 
79 
79 
80 
77 


March 
April  , 
May  .. 
June . . 


July  ... 
August 


September 
October . . . 


November 
December 


The  heights  deduced  would,  of  course,  be  more  reliable  if  we  could  ascer- 
tain the  values  for  atmospheric  pressure  and  temperature  at  the  sea-level  for 
the  day  and  hour  on  which  each  observation  of  the  hypsometer  or  aneroid 
was  made. 

The  hypsometer  observations  appear  to  be  excellent.  They  have  been  used 
for  checking  the  aneroid  readings.  For  this  purpose  the  equivalents  of  ten- 
sion of  vapor  for  the  boiling  points  have  been  taken  from  the  extensive  ta- 
ble, based  upon  Regnault's  determinations,  given  in  Sir  Henry  James's  "In- 
structions for  taking  Meteorological  Observations,"  and  the  difference  of  the 
corresponding  aneroid  readings  from  them  taken.  From  these  differences  are 
deduced  the  followiug  mean  corrections  for  the  aneroid : 


And  these  corrections  have  been  used  in  the  calculations  of  the  heights  of 
Tewfikeeyah  and  Gebel  Regiaf,  which  are  the  only  ones  which  depend  upon 
the  aneroid. 


At  30  inches 


-•50 
-•47 
-•45 
-•43 


R.  Strachan,  F.  M.  S. 


2d  February,  1874. 


APPENDIX. 


525 


RESULTS  OF  THE  ASTRONOMICAL  OBSERVATIONS  MADE  BY  LIEUTEN- 
ANT J.  A.  BAKER,  R.  N.,  DURING  THE  YEARS  1870,  1871,  1872,  AND  1873, 
IN  SIR  S.  W.  BAKER'S  EXPEDITION  UP  THE  RIVER  NILE,  CALCU- 
LATED BY  WILLIAM  ELLIS,  F.R.  A.S.,  OF  THE  ROYAL  OBSERVATORY, 
GREENWICH. 


Table  I. — Results  of  the  Observations  for  Latitude. 

(These  Latitudes  are  deduced  from  meridian  altitudes,  excepting  those  at  Tewfikeeyah,  1870, 
November  7th  aud  November  10th  (tirst  result),  which  are  obtaiued  from  altitudes  takeu  a 
little  distance  from  the  meridian.) 


1870.  Jan. 
Feb. 
March 
June 
Nov. 


1871.  Jan. 
Feb. 
July 

1872.  Jan. 


Feb. 


1873.  Jan. 


Feb. 


March  1 
3 

"  5 
10 

April  5 
14 
16 
19 
28 
22 
22 
23 
24 
25 
27 
6 


Khartoum  

Fashoda   

The  Dubbah,  Bahr  Giraffe  

Tewfikeeyah  

t< 

a 

The  Dubbah,  Bahr  Giraffe  .  .  .  . 

Three  Dubbahs,  Bahr  Giraffe  

Gondokoro    

u 

Gebel  Regiaf  

(  Sheik  Beden's,  just  below  the  j 

(    rapids  | 

j  On  the  march  from  Sheik  Be-  / 

j    den's  to  Lobore  f 

Goboor  

Marengo  

Moogi  

Lahore  

j  At  the  junction  of  Asua  and  ) 

»     Attabbi  j" 

At  camp  in  the  forest  

Shooa   

Fatiko  

Foweera  

Kisoona  

Koki  

Chorobezi  

Masindi  

Fatiko  


Object  observed. 

Resulting 
Latitude 
North. 

Sun. 

° 

15 

36 

6 

Canopus. 

9 

54 

14 

Canopus. 

i 

QO 

oo 

a  Centauri. 

y 

OK 
AO 

I A 

Sun. 

Q 

V 

OK 
AO 

OK 
AO 

Sun. 

y 

iy 

Sun. 

o 
y 

OA 

K 

o 

feun. 

OA 

o<y 

At 

Sun. 

9 

24 

59 

Sun. 

9 

25 

11 

Sun. 

9 

25 

1 

Sun. 

7 

46 

47 

Sun. 

7 

31 

51 

Moon. 

4 

56 

28 

a  Ursa?  Majoris. 

4 

54 

58 

y  Ursae  Majoris. 

4 

53 

49 

a  Crucis. 

4 

53 

43 

a  Crucis. 

4 

45 

22 

Canopus. 

4 

37 

49 

Canopus. 

4 

37 

8 

Capella. 

4 

28 

34 

Capella. 

4 

18 

33 

Canopus. 

4 

6 

37 

Canopus. 

4 

1 

5 

Canopus. 

3 

42 

38 

Canopus. 

3 

22 

11 

a  Crucis. 

3 

7 

17 

a  Ursae  Majoris. 

3 

1 

21 

a  Lyrae. 

2 

12 

35 

a  Ursae  Majoris. 

2 

2 

52 

a  Ursae  Majoris. 

1 

59 

26 

a  Crucis. 

1 

56 

29 

a  Crucis. 

1 

44 

35 

/3  Aurigae. 

3 

2 

14 

Canopus. 

3 

0 

33 

Capella. 

3 

1 

28 

Capella. 

3 

2 

18 

Capella. 

3 

2 

38 

Capella. 

3 

1 

39 

Canopus. 

2 

59 

15 

526 


APPENDIX. 


The  results  contained  in  the  preceding  table  having  been  combined  as 
necessary,  the  following  table  was  formed: 

Table  II. — Concluded  Latitudes. 


Name  of  Place. 


Khartoum  

Fashoda   

Tewfikeeyah  

The  Dubbah,  Bahr  Giraffe  

Three  Dubbahs,  Bahr  Giraffe  

Gondokoro  

Gebel  Regiaf  

Sheik  Beden's,  just  below  the  rapids  

On  the  march  from  Sheik  Beden's  to  Lobore 

Goboor  

Marengo  

Moogi   ... 

Lobore  

At  the  junction  of  the  Asua  and  Attabbi  . . . 

At  camp  in  the  forest  

Shooa   

Fatiko  

Foweera  

Kisoona  

Koki  

Ghorobezi  

Masindi  


Latitude  N 

nrth. 

Number  of  separate 
Deteniiiiiations. 

" 

15 

36 

6 

1 

9 

54 

14 

9 

25 

5 

I 

7 

47 

13 

o 

7 

31 

51 

1 

4 

54 

45 

4 

4 

45 

1 

4 

37 

49 

4 

37 

8 

I 

4 

28 

34 

1 

4 

18 

33 

1 

4 

6 

37 

1 

4 

1 

5 

1 

3 

42 

38 

1 

3 

22 

11 

1 

3 

7 

17 

1 

3 

1 

26 

8 

2 

12 

35 

1 

2 

2 

52 

1 

1 

59 

26 

1 

1 

56 

29 

1 

1 

44 

35 

1 

Table  III. — Results  of  the  Observations  for  Longitudes  from  Lunar  Distances. 

(In  the  reduction  of  these  observations  the  "Nautical  Almanac"  distances  have  been  cor- 
rected for  the  errors  of  the  places  of  the  Moon  and  Planets  as  determined  from  the  Green- 
wich Observations.) 


Date. 

Name  of  Place. 

Object  to  which 
Moon  was 
referred. 

Whether  the 

.Moon  was 
East  or  West. 

Resulting 
Longitude  East. 

1870.  Oct. 

29 

Sun. 

E. 

o 

31 

29  0 

31 

Sun. 

E. 

31 

15  15 

31 

Antares. 

E. 

32 

42  0 

31 

Saturn. 

E. 

32 

1  15 

Nov. 

7 

Aldebaran. 

W. 

31 

33  45 

7 

Jupiter. 

W. 

31 

43  30 

8 

Jupiter. 

w. 

31 

24  45 

1872.  Jan. 

18 

Fomalhaut. 

E. 

30 

48  15 

18 

Jupiter. 

w. 

32 

8  0 

March 

15 

Fatiko  

Jupiter. 

w. 

32 

37  0 

16 

Sun. 

E. 

31 

46  15 

16 

Jupiter. 

w. 

32 

58  0 

17 

Aldebaran. 

E. 

32 

9  0 

17 

Aldebaran. 

E. 

32 

6  30 

17 

Jupiter. 

W. 

32 

52  15 

At  one  place  (Fatiko)  two  observations  of  eclipses  of  Jupiter's  satellites 
were  made,  the  results  of  which  are  given  in  the  next  table  : 


APPENDIX. 


527 


Table  IV. — Results  of  the  Observations  for  Longitude,  from  Eclipses  of  Jupiter's 
Satellites,  made  at  Fatiko. 

(In  the  reduction  of  these  observations  the  "Nautical  Almanac"  times  have  been  used  with- 
out correction,  no  corresponding  observations  having  been  found.) 


Date. 

Phenomena. 

Resulting 
Longitude  East. 

1872.  March  17 

1873.  Feb.  6 

Re-appearance  of  1st  satellite  

o        '  /' 

32  37  45 
32  35  45 

Combining  together  the  results  of  Tables  III.  and  IV.,  the  following  values 
of  longitude  are  found : 


Table  V. — Concluded  Longitudes. 


Name  of  Place. 

Longitude  East. 

Number  of 
separate 
Determinations. 

Tewfikeeyah  

Fr.tiko  

o       /  " 

31  44  13 

31  28  8 

32  27  49 

7 
2 
8 

In  addition  to  the  above,  several  differences  of  longitude  were  measured 
by  means  of  two  chronometers. 


Table  VI. — Chronometric  Differences  of  Longitude. 


Names  of  Places. 

Resulting 
Differences  of 
Longitudes. 

Tewfikeeyah,  east  of  the  Dubbah,  Bahr  f 
Giraffe  j 

Tewfikeeyah,  east  of  Three  Dubbahs,  | 
Bahr  Giraffe  j 

O        >  11 

0   21  0 
0   30  45 

0  51  45 

1  3  15 
1     3  15 

The  interval  between  the  observations  made  before  leaving  Khartoum, 
and  after  arriving  at  Tewfikeeyah  (taking  Fashoda  on  the  way),  was  four- 
teen days,  and  the  rates  determined  at  Khartoum  agree  well  with  those  after- 
ward found  at  Tewfikeeyah.  The  first  three  results  of  the  preceding  table 
should  therefore  be  good. 

The  last  two  differences  depend  on  rates  determined  before  leaving  Tewfi- 
keeyah, carried  on  twenty-nine  days  for  "  The  Dubbah,"  and  fifty-two  days 
for  "  Three  Dubbahs,"  there  being  no  after  determination  of  rate.  These 
differences  are  therefore  less  worthy  of  confidence,  although  it  may  be  noted 
as  a  favorable  circumstance  that  in  each  case  the  two  chronometers  employed 
gave  fairly  accordant  results. 


40 


INDEX 


Abbas  Pasha,  Achmet  Rafik's  service  un- 
der, 175. 

Abbio,  the  old  sheik  of  Lobore,  offers  as- 
sistance, 260  et  seq.  ;  sends  his  son  as  a 
hostage,  270. 

Abd  -  el  -  Kader,  Lieutenant  -  colonel,  first 
aid-de-camp,  appointed  to  command  of 
Sir  S.  Baker's  body-guard,  the  "Forty 
Thieves,"  31;  trustworthiness  of,  GO, 
212  ;  boards  a  slaver,  77  ;  an  excellent 
diver,  105 ;  explains  matters  to  Allor- 
ron,  226  ;  commands  an  attacking  par- 
ty, 146:  storms  a  stockade,  150;  vis- 
its slavers'  station  at  Gondokoro,  155  ; 
promptitude  of,  192,  351 ;  accompanies 
Sir  S.  Baker  to  Unyoro,  239 ;  advises 
capture  of  the  sheik  Bedden,  248  ;  fires 
Ban  villages,  252 ;  in  charge  of  bag- 
gage, 270  :  sent  toFoweera  with  instruc- 
tions, 317;  sent  to  remonstrate  with 
Kabba  Re'ga,  324  ;  escorts  Kabba  Rega 
to  Sir  S.  Baker's  dwelling  at  Masindi, 
353 ;  drills  troops  daily  at  Masindi, 
368,  369  ;  his  interview  with  Kittakara 
after  battle  of  Masindi,  385  ;  his  dwell- 
ing on  fire,  394 ;  his  duties  on  the  march 
to  Rionga,  396  ;  wounded,  405  ;  rejoins 
Sir  S.  Baker  in  Rionga's  district.  421 ; 
in  command  at  Foweera,  424,  427 ;  his 
testimony  respecting  the  expedition, 
439  ;  recalled  to  Fatiko,  441 ;  as  a  hunt- 
er, 459  ;  promotion  of,  484  ;  honorable 
mention  of,  490. 

Abdullah,  Major,  left  in  command  of  a 
station,  201 ;  completion  of  station  com- 
manded by,  203  ;  visit  to  station  of,  205 ; 
recalled,  206  ;  Achmet's  camp  attacked 
after  departure  of,  212  ;  further  particu- 
lars respecting  his  command.  255 ;  at- 
tacked by  the  Baris  of  Bedden,  263; 
left  in  command  at  Fatiko,  300 ;  in 
charge  of  liberated  slaves,  346 ;  awk- 
ward position  of,  at  Fatiko,  352,  428 ; 
in  peril,  416 ;  relieved  by  Sir  S.  Baker, 
429 ;  ordered  to  arrest  Abou  Saood, 
359  ;  in  command  at  Fatiko,  470  ;  or- 
ders for,  ib.  ;  otherwise  mentioned,  239. 

Abdullah,  the  Shillook,  volunteers  to  ac- 
company Sir  S.  Baker  in  exploring  the 


White  Nile,  84 :  guards  corn  at  Tewfi- 
keeyah, 103;  sent  to  Tewfikeeyah  with 
letter  for  the  governor  of  Fashoda,  ib.  ; 
returns  from  Tewfikeeyah  with  intelli- 
gence respecting  letter,  104. 

Abdullah,  the  cook,  240. 

Abdullah  Maseri  catches  the  thief,  141. 

Abdullah,  the  pathfinder,  395,  413. 

Aboo  Kooka,  a  native  interpreter,  380,  391. 

Abou  Kookah,  station  of,  123. 

Abou-noos  or  Abdnoos  (ebony),  134. 

Abou  Saood  (Agad  &  Co.),  his  contract 
with  the  Egyptian  government,  93  ;  sur- 
reptitiously disposes  of  slaves,  ib.  ;  ap- 
pearance and  character  of,  ib.  :  treach- 
erously murders  the  sheik  of  Belinian, 
130  ;  arrives  at  Gondokoro,  153  :  brings 
stolen  cattle,  154  ;  joyfully  welcomed 
to  Gondokoro  by  Baris,  155 ;  his  cattle 
confiscated,  156 ;  Sir  S.  Baker's  official 
letter  to,  ib.  ;  intrigues  of,  157 ;  carries 
off  cattle,  171 ;  responsible  for  Shir  ca- 
lamity, 172;  anticipates  failure  of  the 
expedition,  174;  further  intrigues  of, 
ib.  ;  traffics  with  Baris  of  Belinian,  175; 
asks  for  permission  to  quit  Gondokoro, 
184 ;  incites  officers  to  conspire,  196 ; 
success  of  his  intrigues,  197;  swindles 
the  government,  225 :  departure  of,  227 ; 
his  station  at  Latooka,  229 ;  otherwise 
mentioned,  190,  195;  his  stations  near 
Ibrahime'yeh,  275 ;  meeting  at  Fatiko 
with.  280  ;  his  intrigues  with  Shooli  na- 
tives, 282  ;  his  proceedings  at  Fatiko, 
289 ;  his  contract  to  supply  the  troops 
with  provisions,  ib.  ;  his  character,  ib.  ; 
wantonly  attacks  the  Koshi  countrv, 
290;  swears  eternal  fidelity,  295,  299; 
his  instructions  to  Suleiman,  the  vakeel, 
314 ;  visits  Kabba  Rega  and  prepares 
a  snare,  ib.  ;  conspires  with  Suleiman, 
319;  his  first  appearance  at  Masindi, 
314  ;  wantonly  attacks  Rot  Jarma,  who 
was  under  government  protection,  352  ; 
Rionga's  information  respecting,  421 : 
abominable  treachery  of,  425  et  seq.  ; 
evidence  against,  435,  448  ;  summoned 
to  Fatiko,  438 ;  his  defense,  439 ;  his 
flight  and  false  reports,  440 ;  some  of 


530 


INDEX. 


his  slavers  overtaken,  477 ;  arrest  of, 
480 ;  documentary  evidence  against, 
handed  to  Nubar  Pasha  at  Cairo,  483 
et  seq. ;  latest  information  respecting, 
45)2  et  seq. 

Achmet  Bash  Choush,  narrow  escape  of, 
166. 

Achmet  Effendi,  conduct  of,  103  ;  leisure- 
ly proceedings  of,  107;  appointed  to 
command  of  a  station,  201 ;  energetic 
conduct  of,  203;  returns  to  camp  with 
intelligence,  212. 

Achmet  Rafik  Effendi,  left  behind  with 
Niambore,  154  ;  natives  threaten,  171 ; 
information  respecting  his  conduct  in  the 
Shir  matter,  173;  negligence  of,  175; 
anxiety  for,  178;  killed  by  Baris,  180. 

African  horse  sickness,  194 ;  diplomacy, 
248  ;  paradise,  278  ;  love  of  music,  281, 
488  ;  slavery,  340  ;  notions  about  hon- 
esty, ib. 

Afuddo,  sport  at,  274. 

Agad  Achmet  Sheik  (head  of  the  firm 
of  Agad  &  Co.),  his  contract  with  the 
Egyptian  government,  88 ;  his  griev- 
ances, 89,  91 ;  modification  of  the  terms 
of  contract  with,  92  et  seq.  ;  death  of, 
1 54  ;  otherwise  mentioned,  18,  80,  87, 
225. 

Agricultural  enemies,  82  ;  strike,  83  ;  ex- 
periments, 362. 

Akiko  Hill,  bearings  taken  at,  275. 

Albert  N'yanza  (M'wootan  N'zige),  ar- 
rangements for  navigating  the,  32  ;  junc- 
tion of  Victoria  Nile  and,  85  ;  White 
Nile  flowing  from  the,  273 ;  mountains 
on  west  shore  of,  opposite  Magungo, 
302  ;  native  information  respecting  Ba- 
rega,  a  country  bordering  on  the,  308  ; 
sighted  from  neighborhood  of  Masindi, 
324  ;  information  from  M'tese's  envoys 
respecting,  333  ;  sighted  from  Masindi, 
342;  east  shore  of,  366;  Makkarika 
cannibals  near  the,  451 ;  native  infor- 
mation respecting,  466  ;  Unyoro  bound- 
ed by  the,  470 ;  altitude  of,  taken  .by 
Sir  S.  Baker  at  Vacovia,  489 ;  future 
observations  of  the,  ib.  ;  connection 
of  Tanganyika  lake  with,  497  ;  Dr. 
Schweinfurth  on  Livingstone's  theories 
respecting,  498 ;  highest  altitude  of, 
499. 

Alexandria,  distance  between  Gondokoro 
and,  21. 

Ali  Amouri,  representatives  of,  at  Wat- 
el-Shambi  declare  their  inability  to  sup- 
ply troops  with  food,  121. 

Ali  Bey,  governor  of  Fashoda,  claims  to 
have  taken  measures  for  suppressing  the 
slave  -  trade,  32  ;  makes  a  razzia  upon 
the  Shillooks,  58 ;  his  interview  with 
Sir  S.  Baker,  59,  60  ;  his  method  of 
taxing  a  district,  61 ;   his  intrigues 


against  the  Shillook  king,  66 ;  summon- 
ed to  an  interview  with  Quat  Rare,  74 
et  seq.  ;  dismissed  and  disgraced,  92  ; 
otherwise  mentioned,  88. 

Ali  Emmeen  persuades  the  Makkarika 
tribe  to  take  hostile  measures  against 
Sir  S.  Baker,  450 ;  refuses  to  appear 
before  Sir  S.  Baker,  451 ;  his  repre- 
sentations to  the  Makkarikas,  ib. 

Ali  Genninar  makes  submission,  and  offers 
his  services,  349 ;  supersedes  Eddrees, 
357  ;  Kabba  Re'ga  steals  guns  and  am- 
munition of,  358 ;  in  command  in  Un- 
yoro, 443 ;  narrowly  escapes  drowning, 
445 ;  and  Rionga  defeat  Rabba  Re'ga, 
452 ;  and  Rionga  obtain  complete  pos- 
session of  Unyoro,  470. 

Ali  Goboor  ("Forty  Thieves")  wounded 
by  a  lance,  404. 

Ali  Hussein,  an  employe  of  Abou  Saood, 
description  of,  286 ;  treachery  of,  ib.  ; 
intercepts  provisions,  299 ;  superseded 
by  Wat-el-Mek,  426  ;  death  of,  435. 

Al  Jusef,  an  envoy  from  M'te'se,  king  of 
Uganda,  arrives  at  Fatiko.  466. 

Ali  Nedjar  ("Forty  Thieves'*),  death  of, 
243;  otherwise  mentioned,  187,  223, 
243. 

Ali  Sadik  ("Forty  Thieves"),  a  crack 
shot,  411. 

Allorron,  a  Bari  chief,  promises  allegiance 
to  the  government,  124  ;  hostile  con- 
duct of,  125  ;  his  connection  with  Abou 
Saood,  126  ;  prejudiced  against  expedi- 
tion, 128;  refuses  to  supply  cattle  or 
food,  131 ;  his  aversion  to  the  govern- 
ment, 132  ;  his  cattle  confiscated,  141 ; 
his  interview  with  Sir  S.  Baker,  ib.  ; 
his  negotiations  with  the  Baris  of  Beli- 
nian,  152;  assists  Abou  Saood,  155,174; 
desires  peace,  227  ;  repentance  and  ref- 
ormation of,  474. 

Amarn,  an  Abyssinian  boy,  rescued  from 
a  cruel  master,  191 ;  intelligence  of, 
239 ;  on  a  march,  258 ;  ill  with  an  ul- 
cerated leg,  456 ;  brought  to  England 
by  Lady  Baker,  503. 

Ambuscades,  186,  404. 

Ammunition,  reckless  waste  of,  405,  400. 

Antelopes,  47,  49,  51,  52,  57.  58,  458, 
459,  461,  462. 

Ants,  82,  131. 

Ant-hills,  35,  47,  49,  51. 

Apothecaries'  Hall,  medicines  and  drugs 
for  the  expedition  obtained  from,  24. 

Artilleryman,  death  of  an,  45 ;  prophecy 
of  an,  ib. ;  fulfillment  of  prophecy  of 
an,  53. 

Artillery  for  expedition,  24. 
Assaballa,  capture  of  slaver  belonging  to, 
80. 

Asua  (River),  an  affluent  of  the  Nile,  di- 
rection of  the,  85  ;  impassable  during 


INDEX. 


531 


the  rainy  season,  238 ;  junction  of  the 
Attabi  with  the,  271. 

Atbara  (River),  an  affluent  of  the  Nile, 
direction  of  the,  85. 

Atroosh,  a  vakeel,  station  of,  295  ;  in- 
structed by  Abou  Saood  to  attack  Fab- 
bo,  450. 

Attabi  (River),  water  of  the,  quite  clear, 
271. 

Austrian  mission  station  at  Gondokoro, 
125,  132. 

Baggara  Arabs,  followers  of  Ali  Bey,  help 
to  levy  taxes,  59  ;  canoe-builder,  417. 

Baggera,  immense  size  of  the  fish  called, 
235. 

Bahr  Gazal  (River),  expedition  of  Djiaf- 
fer  Pasha  to  the,  28,  37  ;  navigable 
channels  in  the,  50;  slave-vessel  from 
the,  seized,  80 ;  scarcity  of  wood  near 
the,  84 ;  absence  of  current  in  the,  ib.  ; 
geographical  particulars  respecting  the, 
85 ;  geographical  theories  respecting 
the,  ib. 

Bahr  Giraffe  (River),  a  branch  of  the 
White  Nile,  ascent  of  the,  34  ;  particu- 
lars respecting  the,  35  ;  whole  fleet  in  a 
cul-de-sac  on  the,  39 ;  attempt  of  offi- 
cials to  prevent  expedition  from  passing 
the,  87;  wreck  on  the,  100;  unnaviga- 
ble  character  of  the,  111  et  seq.  ;  dam 
constructed  across  the,  11G ;  return 
journey  via — canal  perfectly  navigable, 
475 ;  otherwise  mentioned,  33,  34,  35, 
58,  59,  77,  81,  85,  254. 

Bahr  Ingo  (River),  effluents  at  eastern 
corner  of,  294. 

Bairam,  the,  a  Mahommedan  festival,  104. 

Baker,  Sir  Samuel,  firman  of  Khedive  ap- 
pointing him  commander  of  the  expedi- 
tion to  suppress  the  slave-trade  of  the 
White  Nile,  and  to  annex  the  Central 
Nile  Basin,  20 ;  English  party  under 
his  command,  22  ;  preliminary  arrange- 
ments of,  22-26;  unpopularity  of  his 
expedition,  28 ;  surveys  lacustrine  re- 
gion, 40;  contemplates  returning  to 
Shillook  country,  50;  detects  the  ne- 
farious practices  of  Ali  Bey,  the  govern- 
or of  Fashoda,  58 ;  his  interview  with 
Ali  Bey,  59,  60;  liberates  slaves,  62; 
descends  the  Sobat,  63 ;  assembles  the 
entire  fleet  at  Tewfikeeyah,  ib.  ;  his  first 
interview  with  Quat  Kare,  65 ;  concil- 
iates the  Shillooks,  67 ;  his  proceedings 
at  Tewfikeeyah,  68 ;  adjusts  matters 
between  Quat  Kare  and  Ali  Bey,  75  ; 
explores  the  old  White  Nile,  84  ;  sends 
letter  of  remonstrance  to  Djiaffer  Pasha, 
87 ;  his  limited  jurisdiction,  89  ;  expla- 
nation of  preceding  limitation,  90 ;  de- 
termines to  assume  monopoly  of  the 
ivory  trade,  93 ;  leaves  Tewfikeeyah,  99 ; 


discovers  the  great  White  Nile,  114 ; 
constructs  a  dam  across  the  Bahr  (ii- 
raffe,  116  etseq.  •  his  operations  at  ( . <  > 1 1 - 
dokoro,  124  et  seq.  ;  difficulties  with  the 
sheik  Allorron,  137  ;  officially  annexes 
Bari  country,  138  et  seq. ;  issues  gen- 
eral order,  144,  145 ;  makes  war  with 
the  Baris,  146  et  seq.  •  Abou  Saood,  155 
et  seq.  ;  commences  a  campaign  against 
the  whole  Bari  tribe,  175;  administers 
absolute  justice,  190;  and  Baris  of  Re- 
giaf,  197;  further  military  movements 
of,  207  et  seq.  ;  his  interview  with  the 
sheik  Bedden,  215 ;  makes  peace  with 
the  Baris,  222 ;  advances  south,  237  ; 
meets  Bedden  as  appointed,  215  ;  quells 
a  mutiny,  254 ;  arrives  at  lbrahimeyeh, 
273;  at  Fatiko,  277;  notifies  termina- 
tion of  Agad  &  Co.'s  contract,  290; 
arrives  at  Unyoro,  303 ;  meets  Quonga, 
ib.  ;  issues  proclamation  to  volunteers, 
305;  his  native  nickname,  310,  344; 
pays  an  official  visit  to  Kabba  Rega, 
325 ;  further  interview  with  Kabba 
Rega,  329 ;  Abou  Saood's  portrait  of, 
332  ;  annexation  of  Unyoro,  357  ;  resi- 
dence at  Masindi,  318  et  seq.  ;  general 
attack  upon,  by  Kabba  Rega,  381 ;.  bat- 
tle of  Masindi,  and  defeat  of  the  Un- 
yoros,  383 ;  difficulties  of  the  march  to 
Foweera,  386  et  seq.  •  attempted  assas- 
sination of,  392 ;  retreats  from  Masin- 
di, 398  ;  meets  Rionga,  421 ;  returns  to 
Fatiko,  424 ;  arrives  at  Fatiko,  429  ; 
defeats  the  rebels,  433  ;  summons  Abou 
Saood  to  Fatiko,  438  ;  his  reputation  in 
Egypt  and  the  Soudan,  438,  439  ;  slave- 
trade  entirely  suppressed,  and  slave- 
hunters  driven  from  the  country,  442 ; 
formation  of  irregular  corps,  ib.  ;  the 
country  at  peace,  ib.  ;  the  government 
established  throughout,  ib.  ;  tender  so- 
licitude of  Fatiko  ladies  for,  464  ;  sends 
a  letter  to  Dr.  Livingstone,  467;  re- 
turns to  Gondokoro,  472 ;  starts  for 
home,  475 ;  returns  to  Fashoda,  477 ; 
returns  to  Khartoum,  480 ;  returns  to 
Cairo,  481 ;  interview  with  the  Khe- 
dive, 482 ;  decorated  by  the  Khedive, 
ib.  ;  concluding  remarks,  485  et  seq.  ; 
general  remarks  on  Abou  Saood,  slave- 
trade,  and  geographical  details,  vide  Ap- 
pendix, 493  et  seq. 
Baker,  Lady,  accompanies  her  husband, 
22 ;  takes  charge  of  liberated  slave-girl. 
80 ;  receives  a  gift  from  the  Empress 
of  the  French,  87  ;  accompanies  Sir  S. 
Baker  to  Belinian,  180;  trains  native 
girls  to  household  duties,  192  ;  witness- 
es an  engagement,  203 ;  courageous 
conduct  of,  370,  371  ;  admirable  fore- 
thought of,  396,  433  ;  on  the  march  to 
Rionga,  399,  400  ;  in  action,  402  ;  hard- 


532 


INDEX. 


ships  endured  by,  405,  411,  414,  427; 
her  presence  of  mind,  431 ;  botanical 
collection  prepared  by,  482  ;  invaluable 
services  of,  491 ;  meteorological  regis- 
ter kept  by,  508  et  seq. 
Baker,  R.  N.,  Lieutenant  J.  A.,  joins  expe- 
dition, 22 ;  his  professional  experience 
valuable,  29  ;  assists  in  floating  ground- 
ed steamers,  41 ;  shoots  a  Baleniceps 
Rex,  44 ;  shoots  a  buffalo,  47 ;  takes 
part  in  lake  survey,  49 ;  Sir  S.  Baker's 
confidence  in,  50 ;  contributes  to  a  re- 
markable "  bag,"  55  ;  goes  out  antelope- 
hunting,  57 :  ill  with  fever,  58 ;  visits 
camp  of  Ali  Bey,  62 ;  renders  able  as- 
sistance in  exploring,  86  ;  ill  with  fever, 
95 ;  shows  an  excellent  example  of  in- 
dustry, 100  ;  value  of  his  nautical  knowl- 
edge, 105 ;  suffers  frequently  from  fever, 
114  ;  erects  a  flag-staff,  138  ;  display  of 
magic  lantern  by,  139 ;  marches  with 
troops  to  Belinian,  148 ;  assists  in  for- 
cing gate- way  of  stockade,  150 ;  visits 
slave  -  traders'  camp,  155  ;  narrow  es- 
cape of,  166 ;  assists  in  capture  of  cat- 
tle, 180  ;  occupies  an  island  abounding 
with  corn,  202 ;  returns  from  Gondo- 
koro,  212 ;  shoots  an  elephant,  229 ; 
makes  observations  from  summit  of 
Mount  Regiaf,  244  ;  antelope-hunting, 
274;  marches  to  Fatiko,  277;  visits 
Kabba  Rega,  344 ;  assists  in  drawing 
plan  of  stockade,  373 ;  clears  away  trees, 
414  ;  superintends  canoe-building,  418  ; 
decorated  by  the  Khedive,  482 ;  geo- 
graphical observations  of,  489  ;  honor- 
able mention  of,  490 ;  mean  tempera-  I 
tures  arranged  by,  519  ;  meteorological  j 
register  kept  by,  520  et  seq.  •  observa- 
tions for  determination  of  heights  made 
by,  522. 

Baleniceps  Rex,  shooting  the,  37,  44,  45, 
108. 

Bamba,  the  magic  throne,  held  in  great 
veneration,  373,  392. 

Barega,  statement  of  native  envoys  respect- 
ing situation  and  people  of.  308. 

Baris  form  alliance  with  the  Loquia,  168  ; 
steal  corn,  172,  179 ;  a  female  foreign 
minister  among  the,  179;  treachery  of, 
183,  184,  185 ;  renew  hostilities,  185 ; 
attack  an  exploring  party,  202 ;  attack 
Major  Abdullah's  party,  203;  general 
attack  by,  208  ;  a  friendly  tribe  of,  214  ; 
sue  for  peace,  221 ;  geological  aspect  of 
country  of  the,  216 ;  peace  established 
with  the,  222  ;  political  morality,  223. 

Baris  of  Bedden,  friendly  demeanor  of  the, 
214;  visit  Ismailia,  ib.  ;  moral  influence 
of  elephant  -  hunt  upon,  221;  depend- 
ence upon,  239 ;  refuse  to  act  as  car- 
riers, 247;  hostility  of,  248;  make  night 
attack,  251 ;  villages  of,  destroyed,  ib.  ; 


treachery  of  the,  264 ;  attack  Major 
Abdullah.  265. 

Baris  of  Belinian,  sheik  of,  murdered  by 
Abou  Saood,  130  ;  particulars  respect- 
ing, 136 ;  sheik  of,  declines  to  attend 
conference,  143;  night  march  to  Be- 
linian, 148  et  seq.  ;  well  armed,  175; 
the  attack  on  Belinian,  176  et  seq.  ; 
war  with,  177-190;  blamed  for  war, 
222 ;  shelter  deserters,  474. 

Baris  of  Gondokoro,  sheik  of,  124;  ex- 
pelled by  the  Loquia,  127;  cattle  of, 
130,  181 ;  unfriendly  conduct  of  the, 
131  et  seq.  ;  stockades  of,  134 ;  the 
sheik's  drum,  ib.  ;  weapons  of,  135 ; 
warlike  character  of,  ib. ;  form  an  alli- 
ance with  those  of  Belinian,  135,  148; 
tamper  with  the  troops,  141 ;  confisca- 
tion of  cattle  of  the,  ib.  ;  agreement 
writh,  142 ;  proposals  of,  143 ;  further 
confiscation  of  cattle  of  the,  144  ;  com- 
pletely abandon  the  troops,  ib.  ;  make 
night  attempt  to  recover  the  cattle,  145  ; 
attack  wrorking  party,  ib.  ;  war  with,  ib. ; 
women  of  the,  152  ;  constant  attacks  by, 
157,  165  ;  wily  method  of  attack  of,  167. 

Baris  of  Regiaf,  in  alliance  with  those  of 
Belinian,  197 ;  hostile  attitude  of  the, 
ib. ;  rich  in  corn,  198 ;  occupation  of 
territory  of  the,  200. 

Bari  system  of  farming,  216 ;  products, 
228 ;  method  of  catching  elephants, 
230  ;  guides,  395,  396,  413. 

Bark  cloth,  Kabba  Re'ga's  robe  of,  328  ; 
preparation  of,  350. 

Baroondi  (Speke's  "Urundi"),  366. 

Bartholome,  M..  a  French  trader,  130. 

Bartooma  (M.),'308. 

Bazaine,  Marshal,  soldiers  who  had  fought 

under,  24,  211. 
Bedawi,  the  guide,  36. 
Bedden,  Bari  chief,  visits  Sir  S.  Baker 

at  Ismailia,  214  ;  otherwise  mentioned, 

223 ;  subsequent  treacherous  conduct 

of,  245  et  seq. 
Belinian,  attack  upon,  148  et  seq.  ;  Baris 

of,  vide  Baris ;  river  of,  181 ;  mountain 

of,  187. 

Bellaal,  a  negro  boy,  382,  456,  481. 

Berber,  23,  26 ;  frightful  change  in  the 
aspect  of  country  near,  27 ;  improve- 
ments at,  481. 

Besheer-  swears  information  against  Abou 
Saood,  435. 

"  Bismillah !"  wonderful  effect  of  exclaim- 
ing, 234. 

Bizemont,  Viscomte  de,  French  lieutenant 
de  vaisseau,  arrives  at  Khartoum  to  join 
expedition,  87  ;  withdraws  from  expe- 
dition on  receiving  intelligence  of  battle 
of  Sedan,  95. 

Black  troops,  40. 

Blue  Nile,  the,  31. 


INDEX. 


533 


Boliooma,  curious  Unyoro  customs  re- 
specting the,  309. 
Bohr  tribes,  124 ;  station,  289,  450. 
Bokamba,  375. 
Bonneggesah,  375. 

Bonosoora,  the,  Kabba  Rega's  body-guard, 

363  ;  their  pay,  372. 
Booamba,  a  cannibal  district,  366. 
Boulti  (Perca  Nilotica),  41,  234. 
"Boxer"  hollow  bullets,  231. 
Buffaloes,  37,  47,  58. 

Cairo,  delays  at,  25 ;  start  from,  26 ; 
horses  from,  30 ;  disappointments  at, 
32  ;  artillerymen  from,  45 ;  criminals 
from,  employed  as  soldiers,  67 ;  plows 
from,  82 ;  postal  communication  with, 
95  ;  Abou  Saood's  proceedings  at,  440, 
477,  478  ;  Sir  S.  Baker's  return  to,  481. 

Cairo-Khartoum  railway,  487,  490. 

Camels,  25 ;  return  to  Cairo  of  sloops 
transporting,  29 ;  great  need  of,  248 
et  seq. 

Cameron,  Lieutenant,  468,  491. 

Camp  at  Tewfikeeyah,  65 ;   at  Gondo- 

koro,  128 ;  regulations  at  Gondokoro, 

129. 

Canals,  36,  39,  40,  475. 
Cannon,  deterrent  effect  of,  upon  natives, 
221,  223. 

Cattle  of  Baris  confiscated,  141,  144  ;  ac- 
tivity of  Bari,  180,  181 ;  of  Abou  Saood 
confiscated,  155 ;  carried  off  by  Abou 
Saood,  171. 

Central  Africa,  extreme  fertility  and 
healthy  climate  of,  17 ;  number  of 
slaves  annually  taken  from,  18  ;  slavers' 
atrocities  in,  19,  293,  334,  428,  441, 
442;  leased  to  slave-traders,  90 ;  future 
steam  transport  of,  274 ;  game-laws  in, 
454  ;  missionaiy  labor  in,  496  ;  geogra- 
phy of,  ib. ;  languages  of,  500 ;  domes- 
tic animals  of,  ib. ;  diseases  of,  501 ; 
hints  to  travelers  in,  503. 

Ceylon,  farming  in,  83  ;  canoes,  418. 

Cherif  Pasha,  sympathizes  with  slave  sup- 
pression, 20;  no  reply  from,  479;  ad- 
mirable representative  of  the  educated 
Circassian,  ib.  ;  member  of  secret  tri- 
bunal, 482. 

Cherri  -  Merri,  an  African  bov,  361,  370, 
371,  389. 

Chibero,  366,  452,  488. 

Chorab,  a  traveling-sack  used  for  carrying 
flour,  267. 

Chorobeze,  324,  406. 

Co-co-me',  the  supposed  cry  of  a  bird  in 
Unyoro,  408,  410. 

Cojoor  (magic),  227,  338,  354. 

Congo  (River),  possible  junction  of,  with 
the  Lualaba,  85,  497. 

Congow,  General,  M'tese's  commander 
in  chief,  375,  452,  407,  469. 


Conspiracy  among  Sir  S.  Baker's  officers, 
195. 

Corn-tax  paid  by  natives,  437,  452. 
Cotton,  Shillook,  72 ;  at  Gondokoro,  228. 
Cow,  a  vicious,  181. 

Crews,  difficulty  in  getting  together,  31. 

Crocodile,  man  carried  off  by  a,  37  ;  jam- 
med between  rafts,  43  ;  a  friendly,  47  ; 
man  seized  by  a,  159 ;  woman  carried 
off  by  a,  160;  shot, ,ib. 

Croix,  St.,  deserted  mission  station  at,  123. 

Cuckoo,  an  African  boy,  240,  258,  277 ; 
wishes  to  discard  his  father,  502. 

Damalis  Senegalensis,  antelope  found  south 
of  the  Sobat,  52. 

Darfur,  annual  importation  of  slaves  via, 
18  ;  settlement  on  the  frontier  of,  28. 

Death  of  Dr.  Gedge,  99 ;  from  sickness,. 
39,  43,  45,  53,  123 ;  of  Monsoor  and 
Ferritch  Baggara,  384;  of  Ramadan  and 
Hafiz,  394 ;  of  Howard,  399 ;  of  a  gal- 
lant soldier,  406 ;  of  the  1 1  fat  boy,"  412 ; 
of  Mr.  Higginbotham,  473;  of  Mr. 
David  Samson,  482. 

Deang,  a  native  village,  311. 

Debono,  Andrea,  an  ivory  merchant  trad- 
ing in  Central  Africa,  2(J2. 

Delays  and  difficulties  at  Cairo,  25 ;  oc- 
casioned by  opening  of  Suez  Canal,  ib. ; 
at  Khartoum,  through  negligence  and 
secret  opposition  of  Egyptian  officials, 
27,  28  ;  occasioned  by  Nile  obstructions, 
vide  sudd ;  occasioned  by  insufficient 
means  of  transport,  87 ;  occasioned  by 
negligence  or  opposition  of  subordinates, 
102,  107,  108;  at  Gondokoro,  238  et 
seq. ;  through  Bedden's  breach  of  faith, 
245  et  seq.  ;  etc. 

Desertion,  cases  of,  capture  and  mock 
execution  of  a  deserter,  56  et  seq.  ;  six 
soldiers  desert,  121 ;  capture  of  a  de- 
serter, 267  ;  two  deserters  shot  at  Gon- 
dokoro, 474 ;  a  deserter  killed  in  a  fight 
with  Baris  of  Belinian,  ib. 

Dhurra  (Sorghum  vulgare),  description  of 
239  ;  scarcity  of,  172  ;  in  large  quanti- 
ties at  Belinian  and  Regiaf,  174,  199; 
occupation  of  an  island  abounding  with, 
202  ;  occupation  of  a  village  containing, 
207 ;  ordered  from  Khartoum,  213 ; 
native  method  of  storing,  199,  209,  217. 

Diahbeeah  charged  by  a  hippopotamus, 
37  ;  a  dwelling  for  Sir  Samuel  and  Ladv 
Baker,  68,  97. 

Dinka  country  depopulated  by  slavers,  70 ; 
natural  advantages  of  the,  73  ;  natives 
of  the,  164. 

Disaffection  among  the  troops,  190. 

Djiaffer  Pasha,  governor  -  general  of  the 
Soudan,  places  too  much  confidence  in 
his  officers,  27 ;  arranges  for  a  year's 
delay  at  Khartoum,  28  ;  his  expedition 


534 


INDEX. 


to  the  Bahr  Gazal,  ib. ;  former  expe- 
rience of,  29 ;  supplies  Sir  S.  Baker 
with  some  very  irregular  cavalry,  30 ; 
employs  KutchukAli,  an  infamous  slave- 
trader  37;  letter  from,  58;  and  Quat 
Kare,  66 ;  neglects  to  obtain  necessary 
vessels,  87  et  seq.  ;  and  Ali  Bey,  88 ; 
and  the  grievances  of  the  ivory-traders, 
89,92;  false  position  of,  90;  anteced- 
ents of,  91 ;  applied  to  for  supplies  of 
men  and  food,  213 ;  his  lecture  on  the 
sources  of  the  Nile,  497 ;  otherwise  men- 
tioned, 23,  30,  31. 

Djoor  (River),  musicians  from  Pongo  on 
the,  80 ;  and  the  western  outlet  of  the 
Bahr  Gazal,  85. 

Dolape  palm  (Borassus  Ethiopicus),  pleas- 
ing appearance  of,  63,  271 ;  used  for 
canoe  building,  417. 

Domestic  arrangement  at  Gondokoro,  192, 
193,  239,  240 ;  at  Masindi,  348. 

Dome  palm  (Palma  Thebaica),  G3. 

Dongola,  sailors  from,  81. 

Drift  vegetation,  35  et  seq. 

Eddrees,  a  vakeel  of  Abou  Saood,  and 
formerly  a  member  of  Ibrahim's  party, 
visits  Sir  S.  Baker,  303  ;  offers  his  serv- 
ices to  the  government,  304 ;  at  Fo- 
weera,  318 ;  ill  with  dysentery,  357 ; 
receives  secret  instructions  from  Sir  S. 
Baker,  364 ;  Heath  of,  445. 

Egypt,  natives  of,  engaged  in  slave-hunt- 
ing, 18  ;  building  materials  from,  64  ; 
mechanics  from,  69. 

Egyptian  soldiers,  formerly  convicted  fel- 
ons, 24,  67 ;  employed  in  cutting  canals, 
40 ;  unhealthy  constitutions  of,  53,  64  ; 
miserable  spirit  of,  70,  81,  100 ;  deser- 
tions among,  121,  140. 

Egyptian  mechanics,  29,  69  ;  procrastina- 
tion, 28 ;  fanaticism,  44 ;  cotton  (gal- 
leen),  192  ;  artillerymen,  265. 

Egyptian  government  and  Abou  Saood, 
440,  476,  477,  478,  482  et  seq.,  492  et 
seq.  ;  and  the  slave-trade,  477,  478. 

Elephants,  sudden  appearance  of,  at  Gon- 
dokoro, 216 ;  two  elephants  shot  south 
of  Regiaf,  219  ;  specific  gravity  of,  220  ; 
Lieutenant  Baker  shoots  a  bull-elephant 
near  the  camp,  229  ;  nocturnal  visit  of, 
ib.  ;  strength  of,  230  ;  elephant  gathers 
fruit  of  the  heglik,  ib. 

Ellis,  F.R.A.S.,  Mr.  W.,  results  of  Lieu- 
tenant Baker's  astronomical  observations 
arranged  by,  525. 

Ellipsyprymna  antelopes,  57. 

Engineering  workshops  at  Tewfikeeyah, 
69  ;  operations  at  Gondokoro,  475,  490. 

English  mechanics,  193 ;  engineers,  254, 
475,  490 ;  news  received  in  Central 
Africa,  471 ;  endurance  and  enterprise, 
254 ;  party  returns  to  Gondokoro  for 


the  purpose  of  constructing  steamers, 
ib. 

Explosive  shell  invented  by  Sir  S.  Baker, 
effect  of  the,  42,  43,  46. 

Fabbo,  keen  competition  for  purchase  of 
ivory  between  traders  at,  and  those  of 
other  stations,  293 ;  Suleiman  in  com- 
mand at,  426 ;  Abou  Saood  carries 
ivory  to,  428 ;  rebels  at,  436 ;  slavers' 
atrocities  at,  441 ;  garrisoned,  470. 

Faddul  ("  Forty  Thieves  ")  wounded,  412. 

Faddul-Moolah  dives  for  a  hippopotamus, 
47. 

Fadlullah  ("Forty  Thieves")  severelv 

burned,  403. 
Faloro,  slavers'  station  at,  275;  rebels  at, 

436. 

Farragenia,  station  at,  275;  rebels  at, 
436. 

Fashoda,  arrival  of  Sir  S.  Baker's  party 
at,  32  ;  governor  of,  vide  Ali  Bey ;  and 
Bahr  Giraffe  junction,  great  difference 
in  duration  of  journeys  between,  108 ; 
Sir  S.  Baker's  return  to  at  close  of  ex- 
pedition, 477. 

Fatiko,  first  arrival  at,  277 ;  Abou  Saood's 
encampment  at,  278  ;  geographical  po- 
sition of,  281 ;  natives  of,  282,  301 ;  re- 
turn of  Lazim's  slave-hunting  party  to, 
288  ;  government  station  at,  295,  299  ; 
bad  news  from,  352  ;  postal  party  leaves 
Masindi  for,  359  ;  perilous  journey  of 
post  for,  395,  426,  443 ;  Sir  S.  Baker's 
return  to,  428  ;  treachery  of  slavers  at, 
430 ;  defeat  of  rebels  at,  433 ;  comple- 
tion of  fort  at,  452  ;  great  hunt  with  na- 
tives at,  455  ;  night  nurseries  at,  460 ; 
peace  and  harmony  established  at,  464, 
465  ;  garrisoned,  470. 

Fazokle,  291. 

Ferritch  Agha,  Lieutenant  ("Forty 
Thieves "),  promotion  of,  162 ;  Sir  S. 
Baker's  opinion  of,  188 ;  his  former 
service  in  Mexico  under  Bazaine,  239  : 
nationality  of,  466 ;  dispatched  with 
letter  to  Ismail  Pasha,  478. 

Ferritch  Ajoke,  a  Pongo  soldier  ("Forty 
Thieves  "),  deserts,  and  is  taught  a  salu- 
tary lesson,  56  et  seq.  ;  subsequent  ca- 
reer of,  163, 188. 

Ferritch  Baggara  ("Forty  Thieves"),  Sir 
S.  Baker's  opinion  of,  188 ;  fatal  mis- 
sion of,  380 ;  murder  of,  384  ;  tribute  to 
the  memory  of,  410. 

Fig-tree  (Ficus  Indica),  halt  beneath  a, 
258 ;  Sir  S.  Baker's  tent  at  Masindi 
pitched  under  a,  327. 

Fleet  for  transport  of  expedition,  23 ;  vex- 
atious delays  at  Khartoum  in  connection 
with  the,  27,  28 ;  purchase  and  prepa- 
ration of  vessels  for  the,  29  ;  stuck  fast 
in  the  sudd  of  the  Nile,  49 ;  steamer  of 


INDEX. 


535 


the,  aground,  115;  enters  the  White 
Nile,  121. 

Flogging'  for  desertion,  57 ;  for  theft,  G7, 
111 ;  for  neglect  of  duty,  98  ;  for  diso- 
bedience of  orders,  122 ;  for  pillage, 
192 ;  of  Suleiman,  321 ;  of  a  soldier  \ 
for  connivance  at  Lazim's  escape,  418. 

Foquatch,  302. 

Fort  at  Gondokoro,  1G9  et  seq.  ;  452. 

"Forty  Thieves,"  the,  Sir  S.  Baker's 
company  of  picked  men,  formation  of 
the  corps,  31 ;  distinctive  dress  of,  1G3 ; 
take  no  part  in  the  military  conspiracy, 
196  ;  horrible  superstition  among,  ill ; 
parting  with,  475;  gallant  and  distin- 
guished services  of,  114,  122,  128,  147, 
148,  150, 1G2,  1G8,  170,  185,  202,  218, 
253,  383,  385. 

Foweera,  station  at,  311,  395 ;  arrival  at, 
415 ;  stockade  at,  41G. 

Francolin  partridges  found  in  abundance 
on  the  banks  of  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  34. 

French,  H.  I.  M.  the  Empress  of  the,  sends 
Lady  Baker  a  token  of  her  sympathy 
with  the  expedition,  87  ;  volunteers  join 
the  expedition,  ib. ;  volunteers  return  to 
Europe  after  the  battle  of  Sedan,  95. 

Frere,  Sir  Bartle,  extract  from  a  letter  of 
Dr.  Livingstone  addressed  to,  498. 

Fuel,  scarcity  of,  35 ;  laving  in  supplies 
of,  37,  58,  63. 

Galla  country,  torrents  from  the,  emptying 

into  the  Sobat,  33. 
Gallas,  the  former  conquerors  of  Unyoro, 

309,  323. 

Galvanized  iron,  adaptability  of,  for  build- 
ing purposes  in  tropical  countries,  226. 

Game-laws  in  Central  Africa,  454. 

Gardens  at  Tewfikeeyah,  68 ;  at  Gondo- 
koro, 128:  at  Masindi,  347,  362;  at 
Fatiko,  443. 

Gebel  Forke  (M.),  scenery  near,  262. 

Gebel  Kuku,  bearings  of,  275. 

Gedge,  Dr.  Joseph,  chief  medical  officer, 
joins  expedition,  22  ;  starts  from  Cairo, 
26  ;  overtakes  main  body,  62 ;  illness 
of,  86  ;  death  of,  99. 

Geographical  discussionswith  native  chiefs,  j 
308 ;  information  obtained  from  M'tese's 
envoys,  466  ;  notes,  508. 

Georgis,  Dr. ,  Greek  physician  to  the  forces, 
attends  Dr.  Gedge,  87. 

Ghattas,  an  ivory  and  slave  trader,  boats 
of,  overtaken  on  Bahr  Giraffe,  55. 

Ghebbelli  tobacco,  250. 

Gimoro,  the  guide,  282,  299,  443,  455,  474. 

Giraffe-hunting,  58. 

Gobbohr,  halt  at,  259. 

Gonah,  a  Langgo  chief,  423. 

Gondokoro,  arrival  of  expedition  at,  124  ; 
desolation  and  change  in  the  aspect  of 
the  country  surrounding,  ib. ;  slave-trad- 


ing operations  at,  126  ;  station  at,  128  ; 
gardening  at,  ib.  ;  attack  upon  the  sta- 
tion at,  ib.  ;  fort  at,  169  ;  completion  of 
fort  at,  192;  domestic  arrangements  at, 
192,  193 ;  drought  at,  195 ;  corn  sup- 
ply for,  199;  native  visitors  to,  224,  229; 
return  to,  at  close  of  the  Bari  campaign, 
225  ;  peace  and  harmony  at,  227,  236  ; 
distilling  at,  228 ;  fortified  posts  com- 
municating with,  237;  dangerous  de- 
lays at,  238 ;  return  of  English  engi- 
neers to,  254 ;  re-enforcements  from, 
450 ;  Sir  S.  Baker's  final  visit  to,  473  ; 
the  steamer  Khedive  built  at,  ib. ;  final 
departure  from,  475. 

Googoos,  native  term  for  corn  store-houses, 
199,  210,  217. 

Goose,  the  crimson-headed,  82. 

Gordon,  Lieutenant-colonel,  Sir  Samuel 
Baker's  successor,  468,  491. 

Grinding  corn,  Egyptian  notions  about,  70. 

Guides,  experience  of,  34 ;  entirclv  at  fault, 
413 ;  Bari  guides,  395,  396,  413. 

Guinea-fowl,  81,  424. 

Hadj,  a  Mohammedan  festival,  39. 

Hafiz,  the  farrier,  murder  of,  394  ;  other- 
wise mentioned,  391,  392. 

Hansall,  Mr.,  Austrian  consul  at  Khar- 
toum, 27. 

Heglik  (Balanites  Egyptiaea),  fruit  of  the, 
228  ;  elephants  attracted  bv  the  fruit  of 
the,  230. 

Hemp  (Hibiscus),  Sir  S.  Baker  persuades 
Baris  to  cultivate,  228 ;  Bari  use  of,  ib. 

Herpestris,  a  genus  of  cat,  82. 

Higginbotham,  Mr.  Edwin,  engineer  in 
chief,  joins  the  expedition,  22 ;  com- 
mand intrusted  to,  23  ;  letter  from,  58  ; 
illness  of,  100,  106  ;  energy  of,  105 ; 
constructs  a  dam  across  the  Bahr  Gi- 
raffe, 116;  last  parting  with,  241;  death 
of,  473 ;  grave  of,  475  ;  last  letter  from, 
505  ;  distinguished  services  of,  29,  116, 
150. 

Hillet-el-dolape,  a  native  village,  destroyed 
by  the  governor  of  Fashoda,  63. 

Hippopotamus  -  hunting,  34 ;  diahbeeah 
charged  by  a,  37,  38  ;  exciting  hunt  of 
a,  43,  55:  frightful  effect  of  the  "Ba- 
ker "  explosive  shell  upon,  43,  46,  117  ; 
furious  attack  by  a,  118  et  seq.  ;  an  im- 
penetrable, 231. 

Ilippotragus  antelope,  49. 

Hippotragus  Niger,  49,  104. 

Hitchman,  Mr. ,  an  English  shipwright,  22. 

Hoes  used  by  Unvoro  natives,  333. 

"Holland"  rifle, '220. 

Howarti,  the  fisherman,  catches  fish  by 
exclaiming  "  Bismillah  !"  233  ;  death 
of,  402;  otherwise  mentioned,  111, 
232,  239,  243,  410. 

Hussein  Halifa  or  Khalifah,  Arab  sheik 


336 


IXDEX. 


intrusted  with  management  of  desert 
transport,  05;  appointed  governor  of 
Berber,  481. 

Ibn  Batata,  extract  from  the  writings  of, 
affording  evidence  of  the  great  antiquity 
of  the  ceremony  observed  upon  the  death 
of  a  king  of  Unyoro,  336. 

Ibrahimeyeh,  station  at,  237;  arrival  at, 
I' 7;! :  sport  at,  274. 

India-rubber  tree  on  the  banks  of  the  So- 
bat,  63. 

Irregular  troops,  review  of,  30 ;  enlist- 
ment of,  237,  307,  311. 

Ismailia,  the  new  name  given  to  the  dis- 
trict when  Sir  Samuel  Baker  annexed 
the  country  formerly  known  as  Gondo- 
koro .;  vide  Gondokoro. 

Ismail  Yagoob  Pasha,  governor  of  Khar- 
toum provinces,  his  character  and  sym- 
pathy with  the  expedition,  88  ;  instruct- 
ed to  telegraph  to  Cairo  for  the  arrest 
of  Abou  Saood,  470  ;  his  improvements 
at  Khartoum,  481. 

Ivory,  government  robbed  of,  by  Abou 
Saood,  225 ;  statistics  respecting  the 
transport  of,  291 ;  brisk  competition 
for,  293  ;  trade  in  Uganda,  339 ;  carried 
to  Eabbo  by  Abou  Saood,  314. 

Jangy,  unfairly  elected  king  of  the  Shil- 

looks,  66,  76;  deposed,  99. 
Jarda,  a  Belinian  chief,  friendly  relations 

with,  179  ;  and  his  diplomatic  sister, 

182  ;  proposes  an  alliance,  ib. 
Jarvah,  the  "fat  boy,"  239;  death  of, 

412. 

Jarvis,  Mr.,  chief  shipwright,  22,  69. 
Juba  (River),  particulars  respecting,  294. 
Jusef  Effendi,  governor  of  Fashoda,  in- 
terview with,  477. 
Jusef,  station  of,  destroyed  by  natives,  288. 

Kabba  Rega,  king  of  Unyoro,  particulars 
respecting  his  succession  to  the  throne 
of  Kamrasi,  284,  304 ;  presents  for, 
304 ;  message  to,  by  Quonga,  306 ; 
policy  of,  309,  390  ;  sends  messengers, 
311 ;  his  projected  attack  upon  Rionga 
frustrated,  314;  inhospitable  conduct 
of,  317 ;  obtains  throne  by  the  murder 
of  Kabka  Miro,  324 ;  officially  visited 
by  Sir  S.  Baker,  325 ;  description  of, 

328  ;  his  dread  of  the  slave  -  traders, 

329  :  his  hatred  of  Rionga,  330,  332, 
346;  sends  presents,  and  complains  of 
Abou  Saood,  334  ;  spies  upon  Sir  S. 
Baker  s  movements,  344  ;  his  hatred  of 
M'te'se,  345  ;  impromptu  visit  of,  346 ; 
visits  Sir  S.  Bakers  new  residence  at 
Masindi,  353 ;  his  idea  of  human  hap- 
piness, 355;  present  at  formal  annexa- 
tion of  territory,  356  ;  steals  guns  and 


ammunition,  358;  desires  monopoly  of 
ivory  trade,  360 ;  suspected  of  foul  play, 
364 ;  sullen  behavior  of,  372 ;  sends 
poisoned  merissa  to  the  troops,  378 ; 
attacks  the  government  station,  381 ; 
sues  for  peace,  389 ;  diabolical  treach- 
ery of,  395,  419  ;  Rionga's  information 
respecting,  421 ;  defeat  and  flight  of, 
4.">2 ;  disappearance  of,  470;  otherwise 
mentioned,  416,  437. 

Kabka  Miro,  rightful  heir  to  Kamrasi, 
murdered  by  Kabba  Re'ga,  by  the  help 
of  the  slave-traders,  304,  324. 

Kabbovu,  366. 

Kadji  Barri,  369,  371. 

Kamrasi,  father  of  Kabba  Re'ga,  death  of, 
303 ;  Sir  S.  Baker's  visit  to  Unyoro  in 
the  reign  of,  333,  389. 

Karagwe,  308,  310,  333. 

Karka,  a  female  slave  liberated  by  Sir  S. 
Baker,  193. 

Kaseega,  halt  at,  412. 

Keedja,  ex -chief  of  Atada,  visits  Sir  S. 
Baker  near  Masindi,  304. 

Kerrison,  Sir  Edward,  valuable  rifle  lent 
by,  51. 

Khartoum,  slave- merchants  of,  18,  89, 
143,  etc. 

Khartoum,  diminished  population  of,  27; 
injurious  effect  of  quartering  troops  at, 
28  ;  flight  of  boatmen  from,  30 ;  de- 
parture from,  ib. ;  Sir  S.  Baker  meets 
with  vessels  from,  58 ;  letter  sent  from 
Tewfikeeyah  to,  80  ;  return  to,  87 ;  sec- 
ond departure  from,  95 ;  distance  be- 
tween Gondokoro  and,  125 ;  return  of 
vessels  to,  194 ;  difficulties  of  commu- 
nication between  Gondokoro  and,  194, 
236 ;  sick  and  incapable  sent  off  to, 
202 ;  vessels  return  to,  212 ;  otherwise 
mentioned,  23,  24,  26,  31,  33,  34,  48, 
50,  55,  76,  77,  83,  86,  173,  174,  225; 
re-enforcements  from,  238,  473 ;  Ismail 
Pasha's  improvements  at,  481. 

Khedive  of  Egypt,  his  Highness  Ismail 
Pasha,  firman  of,  appointing  Sir  S.  Ba- 
ker, 19 ;  humane  conduct  of,  20;  his 
orders  neutralized,  28 ;  and  the  Khar- 
toum merchants,  89  ;  sincerity  of,  91, 
496 ;  officer's  letter  of  complaint  for- 
warded to,  199  ;  formal  complaint  to, 
213 ;  letter  to,  226 ;  publicly  prohibits 
slave-trading,  417;  energetic  measures 
of,  481 ;  receives  and  decorates  Sir  S. 
Baker  at  Cairo,  482. 

Khor,  the,  113. 

Kinyon  ("Crocodile"),  a  Ban  lad,  239. 
Kirk,  Dr.,  extract  from  a  letter  from  Dr. 

Livingstone  to,  498. 
Kishakka,  on  the  Kittangule,  366. 
Kisoona,  Suleiman  summoned  to,  319; 

arrival  at,  414. 
Kittak&iS,  an  Unyoro  chief,  made  pris- 


INDEX. 


537 


oner,  317;  gentlemanly  demeanor  of, 
323  ;  intercedes  for  Kabba  Re'ga,  385  ; 
Otherwise  mentioned,  310,  354,  364, 
367,  3G8,  370,  374,  388,  389,  390. 

Kittangiile'  (River),  course  of  tbe,  306. 

Koojook,  halt  at,  258. 

Koorshood  Agha,  107. 

Kordofan,  annual  importation  of  slaves 
from  Central  Africa  via  Darfur  and,  18. 

Korosko,  desert  transport  from,  23  ;  diffi- 
culty of  obtaining  a  steamer  to  tow  flo- 
tilla" to,  25. 

Koshi  country  invaded  by  Makkarika  can- 
nibals and  Ali  Emmeen,  450. 

Kutchuk  Ali,  a  slave-trader  appointed  to 
an  important  command  by  Djiaffer  Pa- 
sha, governor- general  of  the  Soudan, 
28 ;  outrages  committed  by  his  people, 
37 ;  arrival  at  station  of,  55 ;  otherwise 
mentioned,  77,  80,  87,  107. 

Lacustrine  region,  survey  of,  40;  forma- 
tion of  soil  in,  53  ;  further  details  re- 
specting, 41,  85  et  seq. 

Lauggo  country,  294 ;  natives,  ib.  •  chief, 
423. 

Latooka,  station  at,  225;  deserters  to, 
229  ;  rebels  retire  to,  442  ;  otherwise 
mentioned,  272,  289. 

Lav  missionaries  for  Central  Africa,  487, 
488. 

Lazim,  an  employe'  of  Abou  Saood,  287 ; 
capture  of,  441 ;  escape  of,  448 ;  death 
of,  449. 

Le  Blanc,  Monsieur,  95. 

Leopard,  a  boy  attacked  by  a,  460. 

Lepidosiren  annectens,  a  very  useful  and 
agreeable  fish  for  food,  424. 

Leucotis  antelopes,  458,  459,  461,  462,  etc. 

Life-boat,  loss  of  section  of  a,  101 ;  recov- 
ery of,  106. 

Lion-hunting,  a  disappointment  while,  35  ; 
fight  with  a  lioness,  462. 

Lira,  a  country  rich  in  ivory,  293 ;  don- 
keys found  in,  ib. 

Livingstone,  Dr.  David,  erroneous  theory 
of,  85 ;  Sir  Samuel  Baker's  inquiries 
after,  310,  365,  375,  466 ;  intelligence 
of,  467;  Sir  S.  Baker's  letter  to,  sent 
by  M'tese's  envoys,  ib.  ;  researches  of, 
497 ;  on  the  Tanganvika,  ib.  ;  on  the 
Lualaba,  499. 

Lobbohr,  country  of  the,  294. 

Lobore',  transport  of  luggage  to,  245  et 
seq.  ;  advance  to,  252  et  seq.  ;  prep- 
arations for  the  march  to,  256 ;  start 
for,  257 ;  arrival  at,  260 ;  language 
of,  ib.  ;  natives  of,  261 ;  customs,  268 ; 
knowledge  of  the  lever,  ib.  ;  dishonesty 
among  natives  of,  269 ;  carriers,  270, 297 ; 
natives  kill  a  buffalo,  275 ;  words,  500. 

Lokara,  Kabba  Rega's  commander  in 
chief,  306,  308,  310. 


Lokko  ("Oom  Nickla"),  a  Ban  chief, 
183  et  seq. 

Loquia,  Bari  tribe,  invade  Allorron's  dis- 
trict, 127 ;  capture  cattle  belonging  to 
hostile  tribe,  142 ;  otherwise  mention- 
ed, 124,  141,  143,  167,  168. 

Lualaba  (River),  position  and  course  of, 
85  ;  discussions  respecting  the,  497. 

Machinerv,  arrangements  for  transport  of 
the,  25. 

Machoonda,  the  Albert  N'yanza  bevond 
the,  366. 

Madi  tribe,  ingenious  method  of  chaining 
prisoners  among  the,  269  ;  villages  of 
the,  destroyed  by  Abou  Saood,  271 ; 
attack  slavers,  284. 

Magazine  at  Tewfikeeyah,  63. 

Magnetic  battery,  beneficial  effects  of  a 
shock  from  the,  45  :  considered  mag- 
ical by  the  natives,  215 ;  exhibited  to 
Kabba  Re'ga,  354 ;  exhibited  to  M'te'se's 
envoys,  376. 

Magungo,  mountains  of,  302  ;  natives  of, 
395 ;  lake  journey  to,  466 ;  otherwise 
mentioned,  497. 

Makkarikas,  a  cannibal  tribe  induced  by 
Ali  Emmeen  to  invade  the  Koshi  coun- 
try, 451 ;  attacked  by  small-pox,  ib. 

Marcopolo,  Mr.,  chief  store-keeper,  arrives 
at  Cairo,  29  ;  his  duties  at  Tewfikeeyah, 
68;  honorably  mentioned,  490;  other- 
wise mentioned,  22,  241,  255,  474. 

Marengo,  259. 

Marshes,  cutting  through  the,  40  ct  seq. 

Mashudi.  Rionga's  stronghold,  387 ; 
M'tese  sends  an  auxiliary  army  to,  467. 

Masindi,  capital  of  Unyoro,  disarming  of 
slave  -  traders  at,  325  ;  description  of, 
ib.  ;  character  of  soil  at,  333 ;  govern- 
ment-house at,  333,  342,  347 ;  M'te'se's 
envoy  to  Kabba  Re'ga  at,  333 ;  messen- 
gers from  Eaieera  arrive  at,  351 ;  night- 
ly murders  at,  363 ;  arrival  of  Karagwe 
merchants  at,  364  ;  difficulty  in  obtain- 
ing food  at,  367 ;  warlike  demonstra- 
tion of  natives  at,  369 :  fort  construct- 
ed at,  373 ;  in  flames,  382 ;  battle  of, 
383  ;  night  incendiarism  at,  393  et  seq. ; 
station  at,  fired,  398  ;  retreat  from,  ib. ; 
night  bivouac  near,  140. 

Matonse,  an  Unyoro  chief,  visits  Sir  S. 
Baker,  308  ;  taken  prisoner,  317  ;  con- 
ceives a  dislike  for  Monsoor,  354  ;  pres- 
ent at  hostile  demonstration  of  natives, 
368 ;  brings  poisoned  merissa  from 
Kabba  Re'ga,  377;  Monsoor  goes  to 
summon  him  before  Sir  S.  Baker  before 
battle  of  Masindi,  379  ;  blamed  by  na- 
tives for  the  battle  of  Masindi,  389. 

Masons  at  Gondokoro,  226. 

McWilliam,  Mr.,  chief  mechanical  engi- 
neer of  steamers,  22,  69,  121. 


538 


INDEX. 


Meri,  a  Bari  chief,  225. 

Melissa,  a  kind  of  fomented  drink,  Mar- 
sala versus,  21l> ;  jars  of  poisoned  me- 
rissa  sent  by  Kabba  Ke'ga,  377. 

M'fumbiro,  308. 

Military  arrangements  for  the  expedition, 
24 ;  dining  the  Bari  war,  207 ;  for  re- 
duction of  the  force,  213 ;  previous  to 
advancing  south  from  Gondokoro,  226, 
237  etseq. ;  in  respect  of  irregular  troops, 
30,  307,  311. 

Minieh,  the  steamer,  tows  vessels  out  of 
harbor,  25. 

Mohammed  Deii,  Captain  and  aid -de- 
camp ("Forty  Thieves"),  appointed  to 
Sir  S.  Baker's  body-guard,  31;  sent 
with  a  party  to  recall  Abdullah's  de- 
tachment, 205 ;  accompanies  Sir  S. 
Baker  to  Unyoro,  239 ;  on  the  march 
to  Lobore,  258 ;  his  mission  to  Sulei- 
man, 319 ;  promoted  at  close  of  expe- 
dition, 484. 

Mohammed-el-Feel,  sergeant  of  "Forty 
Thieves,"  164,  403. 

Mohammed  Haroon,  Sir  S.  Baker's  serv- 
ant, 147. 

Mohammed  Mustapha,  Lieutenant,  wound- 
ed, 409. 

Mohammed  Wat-el-Mek,  Abou  Saood's 
vakeel,  parentage  of,  292 ;  invades 
Koshi  district,  291 ;  in  concealment, 
ib. ;  entertains  Speke  and  Grant,  292 ; 
character  of,  ib.  ;  geographical  discov- 
eries of,  ib.  •  command  of  irregular 
corps  offered  to,  359  ;  appointed  Abou 
Saood's  commander,  425 ;  his  anxiety 
to  serve  the  government,  42G ;  capture 
of,  432 ;  his  evidence  against  Abou 
Saood,  435 ;  his  superstition  and  vow 
of  fidelity,  436 ;  his  useful  influence, 
441 ;  retires  from  Fabbo,  442 ;  inter- 
cedes for  Suleiman,  446  ;  sent  to  Gon- 
dokoro for  re-enforcements,  450,  469 ; 
returns  to  Fatiko,  469 ;  brings  news 
from  Europe,  471 ;  returns  finally  to 
Fatiko  from  Gondokoro,  474. 

Mohammed,  the  camel  -  driver,  delighted 
at  meeting  Sir  S.  and  Lady  Baker,  229. 

Mohammed,  the  sailor,  239,  243. 

Mohammed,  a  former  Cairo  dragoman  of 
Sir  S.  Baker,  unexpected  meeting  with, 
280  ;  gives  valuable  information,  283  et 
seq. ;  fidelity  of,  429  ;  sent  with  Fatiko 
post,  443 ;  otherwise  mentioned,  308, 
313,  351. 

Mohammed  Tewfik  Pasha,  the  Khedive's 
eldest  son,  Sir  S.  Baker  names  his  first 
settlement  in  the  Shillook  country  after, 
67. 

Monsoor,  Lieutenant  ("Forty  Thieves"), 
Sir  S.  Baker's  favorite  officer,  descrip- 
tion of,  114;  visits  slavers'  camp  with 
Sir  S.  Baker,  155 ;  promotion  of,  162  ; 


promptitude  and  fidelity  of,  192,  351 ; 
accompanies  Sir  S.  Baker  to  Unyoro, 
239  ;  cheerful  industry  of,  258  ;  accom- 
panies Sir  S.  Baker  to  Kabba  Kega's 
presence,  344 ;  native  confidence  in, 
361 ;  his  demeanor  in  a  critical  situa- 
tion, 368 ;  sent  to  Kabba  Kega  for 
food,  377 ;  departs  on  a  fatal  mission 
to  summon  Matonse,  379  ;  murder  of, 
384;  anniversary  of  his  death,  388;  re- 
gret for,  410,  443  ;  otherwise  mention- 
ed, 180,  205,  208,  209,  214. 
Mooge.  encampment  at,  260 ;  sheik  of, 
261.' 

Moomtazz  Bey,  governor  of  Souakim,  26. 
Moostoora,  little  native  girl  protected  by 

Lady  Baker,  80 ;  sent  to  Khartoum  to 

be  educated,  241. 
Molodi,  a  Madi,  367,  372,  395,  417,  457, 

458. 

Morbe,  a  Bari  chief,  elected  the  responsi- 
ble sheik  of  the  Baris,  142. 

Morgian  Agha,  Lieutenant,  239,  324. 

Morgian  Sherrif,  Captain,  gallant  conduct 
of,  177  ;  previous  militarv  experience 
of,  239. 

Morgian,  the  guide  and  interpreter,  152, 
153,  167,  185,  214,  278,  367. 

M'rooli,  distance  of  Albert  N'yanza  from, 
309  ;  proposed  attack  upon,  424. 

M'tese,  the  powerful  and  excellent  king 
of  Uganda,  his  conversion  to  Moham- 
medanism, 284 ;  invades  Unyoro,  452  ; 
sends  envoys  to  Fatiko,  467  ;  opens  com- 
munication between  Fatiko  and  Zanzi- 
bar, ib.  ;  friendship  and  energy  of,  468  ; 
letter  to,  ib.  ;  his  reply  to  Sir  S.  Ba- 
ker's letter,  491 ;  otherwise  mentioned, 
306,  309. 

Mustapha  Ali,  flogged  for  engaging  in  pro- 
hibited traffic  with  natives,  122. 
M'wootan  N'zige,  vide  Albert  N'yanza. 

Native  carriers,  317,  324,  325,  427. 

Negheel,  a  fine  kind  of  grass,  127. 

Negroes,  class  feeling  among,  164 ;  im- 
provement of  the  condition  of,  165  ;  pe- 
culiar character  of,  223  ;  vide  Central 
Africa. 

Neka,  an  Unyoro  chief,  354,  3f>9. 

Nersho,  a  respectable  native  educated  by 
the  Austrian  missionaries,  259. 

Niambore,  a  friendly  sheik,  154  ;  is  the 
bearer  of  bad  news,  171. 

Nile  (River),  vessels  start  from  Cairo  for 
voyage  up  the,  26 ;  character  of  obstruc- 
tion in  the,  34  (for  further  information, 
vide  Sudd)  ;  affluents  of  the,  85  ;  basin 
of  the,  19,  20,  85;  particulars  respecting 
the,  274. 

Nile,  the  Blue,  85. 

Nile,  White,  vide  White  Nile. 

N'kole,  366. 


INDEX. 


639 


Noba.  a  superior  African  caste,  164. 

Nubar  Pasha,  favorable  to  expedition,  20  ; 
documentary  evidence  against  Abou 
Saood  handed  to,  482  et  seq.  ;  mem- 
ber of  secret  tribunal  for  trial  of  Abou 
Saood,  ib. 

Nubian   desert,  transportation   of  lake 

steamers  across  the,  21,  26,  95,  481. 
Nubian  sailors,  81. 

Okooloo,  an  Unyoro  warrior,  423. 
Orchid,  curious  specimen  of,  315. 
Origin  of  the  White  Nile  slave-trade,  143. 
Ostrich-hunting,  71. 

Paniadoli  garrisoned,  470. 

Parrots  regarded  bv  natives  with  awe,  215. 

Pigs,  wild,  263. 

Pistia  stratiotes,  a  river-weed,  description 
of  the,  38  ;  in  immense  quantities  in  the 
Nile,  499. 

Pittia,  a  native  interpreter,  brings  a  mes- 
sage from  Bedden,  248  ;  otherwise  men- 
tioned, 247,  308,  309,  310,  317,  443. 

Plantain  grove,  halt  in  a,  411. 

Pongo,  desertion  and  mock  execution  of 
a  soldier,  a  native  of,  56, 162  ;  slave  sent 
as  a  present  to  Sir  S.  Baker,  63  ;  musi- 
cians from,  80. 

Poncet  Jules,  a  French  trader,  106,  122. 

Prince  of  Wales,  H.R.H.,  his  sympathy 
with  the  expedition,  19. 

Princess  of  Wales,  H.R.H.,  native  admi- 
ration of,  355. 

Prisoner,  an  old  friend  recognized  in  a, 
419. 

Prolypterus.  a  species  of  fish,  a  great  take 
of,  41. 

Provisions  for  the  expedition,  24  ;  scarcity 

of,  418,  419,  427. 
"Purdey  "  rifle,  5l! 

Quat  Rare,  king  of  the  Shillooks,  inter- 
view with,  65 ;  his  favorite  wife,  66  ; 
intrigues  against,  ib. ;  stoical  conduct 
of  himself  and  wives,  67 ;  invited  to  a 
meeting  with  Ali  Bey,  74  et  seq. ;  his 
ease  referred  to  the  Khedive,  76 ;  en- 
tertained by  Sir  Samuel  Baker,  77 ;  his 
three  sons  sent  to  Khartoum,  80 ;  re- 
stored to  powsr,  99  ;  assists  in  recovery 
of  a  sunken  vessel,  105  ;  New-year's  gift 
to,  106. 

Quay  constructed  at  Tewfikeeyah,  67. 

Queen,  H.M.,  photograph  of,  exhibited  at 
Masindi,  354. 

Quongo,  a  favorite  adviser  of  Kamrasi, 
brings  a  conciliatory  message  from  Kab- 
ba Rega,  319;  present  to,  323;  otherwise 
mentioned,  303,  304,305,  308,  310,  354. 

Kahonka,  an  Unyoro  chief,  first  appear- 
ance of,  310 ;  kills  a  refractory  carrier 


311;  escape  of,  317;  otherwise  men- 
tioned, 314,  317,  327,  354,  368,  370, 
374,  389,  390. 

Bain-maker,  Lokko,  the  old,  256. 

Ramadan,  the  Mohammedan  festival,  100, 
104. 

Ramadan  appointed  school-master  at  Ma- 
sindi, 361 ;  carries  musical  box  to  Kab- 
ba  Rega,  390,  392  ;  murder  of,  394  ;  re- 
gret for,  410. 

Ramsall,Mr.,  an  English  boiler-maker,  22. 

RaoufBey,  Colonel,  disgraceful  negligence 
of,  103  ;  his  friendship  for  Abou  Saood, 
156;  his  inefficiency,  169,  175;  forwards 
letter  of  complaint  from  the  officers,  195; 
Sir  Samuel  Baker's  instructions  to,  be- 
fore leaving  Gondokoro  for  Unyoro,  242; 
ordered  to  take  charge  of  prisoners,  359  ; 
connives  at  flight  of  Abou  Saood,  359  ; 
his  conduct  in  his  command  at  Gon- 
dokoro, 473  ;  otherwise  mentioned,  31, 
37,  41,  43,  50,  64,  81,  102,  107,  108, 
110,  112,  123.  • 

Rawlinson,  Sir  H.,  extract  from  a  letter 
from  Dr.  Livingstone  to,  499. 

Red  Sea,  perilous  navigation  in  the,  26, 
1  482. 

"  Reilly  "  breech-loader,  42. 

Regiaf  (Mount),  the  Baris  of,  197;  ob- 
servations from  summit  of,  244 ;  curi- 
ous rock  at  base  of,  ib.  ;  sudden  change 
in  the  Nile  at,  499. 

Rionga,  an  Unyoro  chief  (the  inveterate 
foe  of  Kamrasi),  304  ;  proposed  attack 
on,  309 ;  his  ancient  feud,  329, 330, 345  ; 
contemplated  alliance  with,  386 ;  com- 
munication with,  387 ;  orders  for  the 
march  to,  396  ;  the  march  from  Masin- 
di to,  398  et  seq.  ;  arrival  in  district  of, 
415  ;  Sir  Samuel  Baker  receives  a  mes- 
sage from,  420 ;  present  for,  ib. ;  gives 
a  truly  negro  welcome,  421;  meets  Sir 
Samuel  Baker,  ib.  ;  goes  through  the 
ceremony  of  exchanging  blood  with  Sir 
S.  Baker,  422 ;  popularity  of,  424  ;  pro- 
claimed king  of  Unyoro  vice  Kabba 
Rega,  423 ;  Ali  Genninar  dispatched 
with  troops  and  present  for,  441 ;  de- 
feats Kabba  Rega,  452  ;  holds  Unyoro 
jointly  with  Ali  Genninar,  470. 

Rockets,  native  notions  respecting,  347 ; 
vide  Hale's  rockets. 

Rot  Jarma,  the  great  Shooli  sheik,  visits 
Sir  S.  Baker,  298  ;  fidelity  of,  425,  427 ; 
further  mention  of,  283,  351,  425,  427. 

Route  arrangements,  23. 

Rumanika,  king  of  Karagv.  e,  sends  mer- 
chants to  Masindi  to  purchase  ivory, 
364. 

Saat,  a  negro  boy,  239,  243,  381,  456,  481. 
I  Saat  Choush  ("  Forty  Thieves  "),  champi- 
on shot,  411. 


540 


IXDEX. 


Saul,  native  boy,  catches  some  fish  of  the 
Silurus  species,  130. 

Said  Agha,  a  native  of  Sishuaali,  406. 

Said  Pasha,  slave-trade  formerly  prohibit- 
ed by,  478. 

Salim-Wat-Howah,  an  employe  of  Abou 
Saood,  441 ;  exploit  of,  442 ;  in  hiding, 
478  ;  capture  of,  480. 

Salt-making,  "Fortv  Thieves"  employed 
in,  228. 

Samson,  Mr.  David,  joins  expedition,  22  ; 

death  of,  482. 
Sand-banks,  243. 
Sangrado,  45. 

Schweinfurth,  Dr.,  sends  his  notes  on  the 
"Western  Nile  Basin  to  Sir  Samuel  Ba- 
ker, 86 ;  his  remarks  on  Sir  Samuel  Ba- 
ker's proceedings,  495,  496  ;  geograph- 
ical discoveries  of,  497 ;  on  the  course 
of  the  river  Lualaba,  498. 

Sedan,  battle  of,  arrival  of  intelligence  of 
the,  95. 

Selim,  the  Suachli,  sent  as  an  envoy  to 

M'te'se,  468. 
Senaar,  the,  an  Egyptian  war  sloop,  26. 
Seroor  ("Forty  Thieves"),  narrow  escape 

of,  411. 

Sesame,  an  African  grain,  133,  183. 
Sessi  lake,  376. 

Shadoof,  an  Egyytian  machine  for  hand 

irrigation,  162. 
Shallows  in  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  110. 
Sharga,  a  native  village,  427. 
Sheik,  sad  death  of  an  old  blind,  73  ;  "the 

red  sheik,"  210. 
Shell,  the  "Baker  " explosive,  42,  43,  46  ; 

novel  use  for  a,  241. 
Sheroom,  aBariguide,  148, 153, 167,  185, 

227. 

Shillooks,  arrival  in  the  country  of  the,  32  ; 
return  to  country  of  the,  50 ;  plunder 
of  the,  by  slave-traders,  58 ;  the  false 
king  of  the,  60 ;  present  from  chief  of 
the,  63 ;  visit  from  king  of  the,  64 ; 
misrule  of  the,  66 ;  opinions  about  the 
expedition  among  the,  70  ;  friendly  traf- 
fic with  the,  72;  honesty  of  the,  ib.  ; 
canoes  used  by  the,  73 ;  placed  in  charge 
of  corn,  103 ;  assist  in  raising  sunken 
vessel,  ib.  ;  rafts  of  the,  418  ;  otherwise 
mentioned,  64,  66. 

Shipwrights,  English,  22,  69. 

Shir  tribe,  a  detachment  of  government 
troops  destroyed  by  the,  171 ;  expedi- 
tion against  the,  227 ;  a  chief  of  the, 
proposes  to  sell  his  son,  341. 

Shooa,  mountain  of,  275 ;  no  tracks  of 
large  animals  between  Latooka  and,  271 ; 
hill,  Wat-el-Mek's  detachment  seen  near, 
469. 

Shooli  natives,  281 ;  docility  of,  283;  hunt- 
ing season  of,  453  ;  peace  and  harmony 
established  with,  454 ;  conservative  prin- 


ciples among,  ib.  ;  general  hunting  ar- 
rangements of,  453  ;  their  skill  as  hunt- 
ers, 461. 

Shooli  words,  500;  animals  and  birds,  501, 
502. 

Shooli  the  guide,  299,  443,  455,  469,  474. 

Sickness,  thirty-two  cases  of,  at  one  time. 
39  ;  more  cases  of,  ib.  ;  from  marsh  fe- 
ver, 41, 44;  many  Egyptians  down  with, 
45;  artillerymen  nearly  allattacked  with, 
64 ;  deaths  from,  vide  Death. 

Silber  and  Fleming,  22. 

Silurus,  a  species  of  fish,  131. 

Sishuaali,  officers  natives  of,  466. 

Slave  -  hunters  of  Khartoum,  vide  Khar- 
toum ;  Arabs  employed  as,  18 ;  Egyp- 
tian subjects  employed  as,  ib.  ;  traces 
of,  36,  37,  44 ;  in  the  Dinka  country,  70 ; 
further  details  respecting,  271, 275;  ren- 
der all  the  native  tribes  hostile,  291 ; 
devastations  of,  303  ;  escape  with  slaves, 
318;  at  Foweera  and  Kisoona,  334; 
frightful  atrocities  of,  287,  428,  441 ;  de- 
termined opposition  of,  339  ;  kept  as  a 
rod  for  natives,  437  ;  plunder  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Fabbo,  438  ;  fire  upon  Sir 
Samuel  Bakers  messengers,  ib.  ;  cap- 
tured at  Fashoda,  480. 

Slave-trade,  suppression  of  the,  20,  23,  28, 
62, 143,  485  et  seq.  ■  revival  of  the,  494; 
greatly  desired  by  the  troops,  190  et  seq. 

Slaves,  discovery  of,  78  ;  emancipation  of, 
78,  96  ;  female  slaves  married  to  the 
soldiers,  79  ;  difficulty  of  managing  lib- 
erated, 96  ;  masses  of,  at  Abou  Saood's 
stations,  296,  309;  released,  326;  re- 
stored to  their  homes,  339  ;  purchased 
for  needles,  340  ;  liberated,  502. 

Slave  vessels  confiscated,  78,  96. 

Small-pox  among  the  Makkarikas,  451 ; 
among  slaves,  476. 

Snakes,  40. 

"Snider"  rifles,  211;  considered  magical 

by  the  natives,  227. 
Sobat  (River),  junction  of  the.  32  ;  origin 

of  the,  33 ;  return  to  the,  63  ;  direction 

of  the,  85,  294. 
Soont  (Acacia  Arabicd),  73,  84,  294,  507. 
Souakim,  desert  journey  between  Berber 

and,  26 ;  governor  of,  vide  Moomtazz 

Bey ;  otherwise  mentioned,  23,  26,  29. 
Soudan,  the  miserable  vessels  of,  43  ;  rule 

in,  66  ;  cotton,  72  ;  confusion  in,  92  ; 

ancient  funeral  rites  in,  336 ;  no  help 

from,  213 ;  otherwise  mentioned,  18, 

24;  Ismail  Pasha's  improvements  in 

the,  479. 

Soudan  government,  27 ;  opposition  of,  28; 

insincerity  of,  90. 
Soudani  regiments,  superiority  of,  157 ; 

demand  an  increase  of  rations,  172; 

prefer  Central  Africa  to  Khartoum,  202; 

otherwise  mentioned,  44,  64, 192. 


INDEX. 


541 


South,  the  march,  237  et  seq. 

Speke  and  Grant,  21)2,  308. 

Sponge-bath  used  as  a  boat,  316. 

Sport,  34,  30,  47,  56,  103,  100,  108,  110, 
124,  129,  131,  203,  218,  241,  261,  300, 
301,  458. 

Stable  at  Tewfikeeyah,  59. 

Steamers  fixed  by  "floating  rafts  of  vegeta- 
tion, 43  ;  breakdown  of  one  of  the,  63. 

Steel  corn-mills,  70. 

Stockades,  assault  on  the,  177,185. 

Stores,  ordering  of,  22 ;  packing  of,  24  ; 
damaged  by  rain,  43 ;  destroyed  by 
rats  and  ants,  68 ;  deliberate  theft  of, 
122. 

Sudd,  the,  or  Nile  obstructions,  prepara- 
tions for  cutting  through,  69,  99  ;  six 
vessels  wrecked  in  the.  480 ;  delavs 
caused  by,  43,  44,  84,  110,  121. 

Suez,  26. 

Suez  Canal,  25. 

Suleiman,  the  missionary,  128. 

Suleiman  Effendi,  102  j  ordered  to  clear 
the  channel,  ib. 

Suleiman,  Sir  S.  Baker's  sen-ant,  217. 

Suleiman,  a  vakeel  of  Abou  Saood,  303 ; 
receives  formal  notice  of  termination  of 
Agad  &  Co.'s  contract,  304  ;  present  to, 
307 ;  promises  to  assist  Kabba  Rega, 
309  ;  ivory  held  by,  311 ;  murders  a  na- 
tive, 315  ;  his  intrigues  and  vengeance, 
314;  ordered  to  furnish  carriers,  317; 
his  interview  with  Colonel  Abd-el-Ka- 
der,  318 ;  in  league  with  Kahonka,  319; 
trial  of,  320 ;  publicly  flogged,  321 ;  and 
Rionga,  421 ;  in  command  at  Fabbo, 
426 ;  with  the  Fatiko  post,  443 ;  sur- 
render and  pardon  of,  445  et  seq. 

Sun-stroke,  a  death  from,  39. 

Taka,  mutiny  at,  191. 

Tamarind-tree,  forests  of  the,  228. 

Tanganyika  lake  (supposed  to  be  part  of 
the  great  Albert  Xyanza),  85,  366,  489, 
497  ;  vide  Albert  N'yanza. 

Taxes  in  the  Soudan,  27. 

Tayib  Agha,  Lieutenant-colonel,  conduct 
of,  103 ;  and  the  wrecked  vessel,  106 ; 
desired  to  lay  in  fuel,  107  ;  behindhand 
on  arriving  with  the  vessels,  110 ;  letter 
left  in  a  bottle  at  the  "Dubbah"  for, 
111 ;  disgraceful  loitering  of,  149 ;  Sir 
S.  Baker  awaits  arrival  of,  151 ;  misses 
the  path  when  in  command  of  detach- 
ment marching  to  Berlinian,  ib.  ;  folly 
of,  172;  cautioned,  173;  defeat  of,  470; 
superseded,  ib. 

Teel  (Leucotis),  300. 

Tetel  (Antelope  bubalis),  261,  263,  275, 
301,  461. 

Tewfikeeyah,  government  station  at,  65 
et  seq.  ;  slaver  sighted  off,  77 ;  farm- 
ing, 81  et  seq. ;  sport  at,  82 ;  mean 


temperature  at,  during  May,  June,  and 
July,  83 ;  return  to,  in  October,  1870, 
95  ;  station  at,  dismantled,  99  ;  sudden 
fall  of  the  thermometer  at,  83. 

Thief,  a  nocturnal,  97  ;  discovery  of  the, 
141 ;  escape  of  the,  ib. 

Timber,  scarcitv  of,  69. 

Timsah,  lake  ('"'Crocodile  Lake"),  108. 

Tobacco  cultivation  in  Unyoro,  316. 

Tomby,  an  interpreter,  129,  143. 

Trieste,  fir  poles  from,  25. 

Troops,  discontent  among  the,  136  ;  lazi- 
ness of  the,  173;  difficulty  of  maintain- 
ing proper  discipline  among  the,  175 
et  seq.  •  laxity  of  discipline  among  the, 
191  et  seq.  ;  conspiracy  among  officers 
of  the,  196  et  seq. ;  better  spirit  among 
the,  224  ;  mutinous  gathering  of  the, 
254 ;  review  at  Fatiko  of  the,  281 ;  gal- 
lant and  soldierly  conduct  of,  410 ;  re- 
ported extermination  of  the,  426  ;  gra- 
tuity to,  484  ;  vide  Military  arrange- 
ments. 

Tullaboon  (Eleusine  coracan),  325. 

Uganda,  Mtese's  capital,  Abou  Saoods 
people  visit,  284 ;  threatened  transfer 
of  seat  of  commerce  from  Masindi  to, 
306  ;  manufacture  of  bark-cloth  at,  350. 

Ujiji  (pronounced  Uyeye)  and  Magungo. 
lake  communication  between,  466  ;  Liv- 
ingstone heard  of  at,  468. 

Umbogo  (the  "  Buffalo"),  speaks  Arabic. 
316  ;  gives  information  respecting  Abou 
Saood's  treachery,  319 ;  particulars  re- 
specting, 334  ;  his  views  upon  the  ques- 
tion of  soap,  ib.  ;  explains  the  uproar 
in  Masindi,  351 ;  antecedents  of,  363 : 
his  report  respecting  native  attack,  388  ; 
otherwise  mentioned,  374,  379,  380. 
385,  387,  391. 

Ume-el-Ete,  a  Mohammedan  festival,  235. 

Umiro,  tribe  of  the,  defeat  Abou  Saood's 
people,  286  ;  massacre  a  party  of  slave- 
traders,  288 ;  as  hunters,  302  ;  cattle 
of  the,  311. 

Unyanyembe,  Sir  Samuel  Baker's  letter 
to  Livingstone  reaches,  468  ;  communi- 
cation opened  with,  491. 

Un-y-Ame  (River),  proposed  general  depot 
for  steamers  near  the  mouth  of  the, 
273  ;  channel  of  the,  near  Fatiko,  300  ; 
murdered  women  flung  into  the,  by 
slavers,  441  ;  great  hunt  near  the,  457. 

Unyoro,  ivory  trade  in,  238  ;  preparations 
for  the  journey  to,  299  ;  the  march  to, 
300  et  seq.  ;  scenery  between  Fatiko  and, 
300 ;  country  of,  "devastated  by  slave- 
traders,  303:  natives  of,  310;  chiefs 
visit  Sir  S.  Baker,  ib.  ;  chivalrous  cere- 
mony in,  323 ;  extraordinary  and  an- 
cient ceremony  at  the  death  of  a  king 
of,  335 ;  perfect  organization  in,  342 ; 


542 


INDEX. 


liberation  of  slaves  in,  845;  commerce 
established  in,  360;  benefits  conferred 
on  natives  of,  378;  natives  attack  gov- 
ernment station  at  Masindi,  881 ;  fur- 
ther attacks  by  natives  of,  402 ;  Rionga 
proclaimed  king  of,  423 ;  extent  of, 
470;  in  the  hands  of  Rionga,  ib.  • 
words,  500. 

Vegetable  obstructions  in  the  river  Nile, 
vide  Sudd. 

Vegetables  raised  at  Tewfikeeyah,  68. 

Victoria  Nile,  course  of  the,  85 ;  march 
to  Suleiman's  station  on  the  banks  of 
the,  through  beautiful  scenery,  302 ; 
width  of,  at  Foweera,  417 ;  Rionga's 
stronghold  on  the,  420;  crossing  the, 
425  ;  mouth  of  the,  497  ;  Livingstone's 
erroneous  statement  respecting  the  width 
of,  498. 

Victoria  N'yanza  (Neraa  Bali),  informa- 
tion obtained  from  natives  respecting 
the,  376  ;  erroneous  theories  respecting 
the,  499  ;  Victoria  Nile  of  the,  85. 

Vienna  Exhibition,  Sir  S.  Baker's  botan- 
ical collection  made  during  this  expe- 
dition forwarded  by  the  Khedive  to  the, 
482. 

Vivisection  of  cattle  by  slave-hunters,  224. 

Wady  Halfah,  time  for  ascending  cataracts 
of  the,  25. 

Wani,  the  reputed  sheik  of  the  mountain, 
visits  Sir  S.  Baker  at  Belinian,  182  et  seq. 

Wani,  the  dragoman,  260. 

Wat-a-jook,  a  native  village  on  the  Sobat, 
63. 

Wat-el-Ajoos  Omare,  sheik  of  Fatiko, 

298  ;  a  hunt  with  the  people  of,  455. 
Wat-el-Shambi,   destination  of  certain 

boats,  112:  arrival  at,  122. 
Water- buck  (Redunca  ellij>siprymna)  in 

the  Shir  country,  230;  on  the  river 

Asua,  272. 
Water-grass  rafts,  36  ;  fleet  inclosed  by, 

41 ;  cutting  through,  108  et  seq. 


Wat  Hojoly,  a  vakeel  of  Abou  Saood,  at- 
tempts to  pass  Fashoda  with  slaves,  476 
et  seq.  •  taken  prisoner  at  Fashoda,  480. 

Watuta,  M'wootan  N'zige  passes  through, 
366. 

Waysooa,  envoy  from  Uganda,  arrives  at 

Masindi,  375. 
We'lle  (River),  particulars  respecting,  497, 

498,  499. 

White  ants,  remarkable  exodus  of,  313. 

White  Nile  (Masaba),  21 ;  slave-trade  of 
the,  27,  143;  junction  of  the  Sobat 
and,  32 ;  between  the  Sobat  junction 
and  Gondokoro,  33 ;  obstructed  vege- 
table drift,  ib.  ;  totally  unnavigable, 
39 ;  exploration  of,  50 ;  rats  of  the, 
68;  uninteresting  districts  of  the,  69; 
English  enterprise  in  the  forests  of  the, 
ib.  ;  exploration  of  the  Old,  84  ;  ivory 
traders  rent  the  territory  of  the,  89'; 
great  necessity  for  clearing  the  main 
channel  of  the,  111,  212;  discovery  of 
the  Great,  114 ;  fleet  enters  the,  121 ; 
changed  aspect  of  the,  at  Gondokoro, 
124 ;  sudden  rise  and  fall  of  the,  130 ; 
the  greatest  enemy  to  the  expedition, 
194 ;  reconnaissance  of  the  last  cataracts 
of  the,  213;  Livingstone's  erroneous 
theories  respecting,  499. 

Whitfield,  Mr.,  shipwright,  22. 

Wild-duck  shooting,  41. 

Wood,  Mr.,  Sir  S.  Baker's  secretary,  22 ; 
returns  to  Egypt,  80. 

Woolwich  tubes,  superiority  of,  256. 

Wreck,  recovery  of  a,  1 04 ;  of  six  vessels 
in  the  sudd,  480. 

Zafteer,  a  favorite  horse,  death  of,  410. 

Zanzibar,  native  trade  with,  284 ;  open- 
ing of  communication  between  Fatiko 
and,  467. 

Zareebas  (or  kraals),  description  of  Bari, 
134 ;  artfully  concealed  by  high  grass, 
178  ;  troops  protected  by,  179  ;  owners 
of  also  farmers,  216. 

Zinc  boat,  a  portable,  269. 


THE  END. 


